Glastonbury 2023: The year the festival prayed for rain
Back when the weather forecast was endlessly being checked every 20 minutes, the solid pictures of sunshine were a beautiful sight to behold, promising a glorious sun-baked Glastonbury Festival. However, now that the press tent is being besieged by the peculiar issue of things being ‘too hot to charge’, the sun has become enemy number one.
Earlier today I ventured back to the tent for a quick Haribo sugar fix only to find that they had melted together into one conglomerate mass of jelly. This is no way to live.
While the current forecast claims it is 26°C, you can easily add at least five onto that. As it happens, the ‘Climate Change Q&A with Richard Betts and Tamsin Edwards’ might turn out to be one of the best-attended sets of the whole festival. Climate action is high on the agenda at Glastonbury, and now the sun gods have convinced every sweltering punter that the time to act is nigh.
Thankfully, tomorrow there is a 35% chance of a passing shower—if that materialises then it will be the most celebrated surprise guest this year.
The UK Health and Safety Agency has already issued a heat warning as temperatures are expected to go as high as 32°C in the south west tomorrow. If that sort of figure befalls Glastonbury then there will certainly be some parched punters at the Pyramid Stage.
Fortunately, waterholes a bottle fill-up stations are ubiquitous and well-used by the seasoned gig-goers in attendance. But there have been some muted protests in the press tent suggesting that maybe some fans might be in order for next year.
Advice for dealing with the heat at Glastonbury Festival:
With high temperatures expected, the UKHSA has advised attendees to be aware of heat-related harm in themselves and those around them. These includes:
- A headache.
- Dizziness and confusion.
- Loss of appetite and feeling sick.
- Excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin.
- Cramps in the arms, legs and stomach.
- Fast breathing or pulse.
- A high temperature of 38C or above.
- Being very thirsty.
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