Weather forecasters are predicting that a rare ‘blood rain’ phenomenon could turn skies across the UK red this week.
As heavy thunderstorms mix with a dust cloud from the Sahara, the Met Office has warned that parts of the country could have red or orange rain over the coming days, and it’s thought that lightning, strong winds, and hail could also move in.
A yellow warning for thunderstorms has also been issued in South East England, although Greater Manchester and much of the North West looks to have escaped these warnings for now.
But, what actually is ‘blood rain’ then? And why is it here in the UK?
Well, the unusual weather phenomenon occurs when relatively high concentrations of red coloured dust or particles get mixed with rain, which give it a red appearance as it falls, and, according to the Met Office, the dust cloud in question this time round is likely to come from the Sahara, and it has already been spotted in other European countries over the last few days.
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“Each year on several occasions the UK will see rain falling with some amount of dust mixed into it [and] this usually comes from the Sahara before mixing in clouds and falling out,” the Met Office explained.
Thursday is looking dry, warm and sunny again for many ☀️
Cloudier in the northwest with a few showers, and early showers will quickly clear southeast England 🌦️ pic.twitter.com/2CRTHuTpUI
Giving more of an insight into the ‘blood rain’ phenomenon, Richard Miles, of the Met Office, said: “There are some dust concentrations in the atmosphere above the UK at present which might well be washed out in the rain.
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“But it’s likely to be relatively small amounts on the whole.”
He added that, away from this, it will be “mostly fine and dry today and tomorrow”.
The forecasted thunderstorms elsewhere in the country may cause spray and sudden flooding, according to the Met Office, which could lead to difficult driving conditions, some road closures, delays or cancellations to train and bus services, flooding to homes and businesses, and even power cuts and damage due to lightning strikes.
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Thunderstorms come after the warmest day of the year was officially recorded at Heathrow yesterday, when temperatures peaked at 27.5°C.
It's now the warmest day of the year so far as temperatures have climbed to 27.5°C at Heathrow 🌡️ pic.twitter.com/kbWakBdCJi
For Greater Manchester though, and our apparent lucky escape from ‘blood rain’ and thunderstorms, we have a dry start to the day today, and it’ll be cloudy in places but brightening up throughout the morning to leave an afternoon with long lived sunny spells, with a maximum temperature of 20°C.
Cloud cover will continue to increase throughout Friday morning though, with some showers that may turn heavy in the afternoon.
Drier but breezier days are expected over the weekend.
Chester Zoo is hiring a ‘passionate’ new keeper to look after its elephants
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo is currently hiring someone to look after its elephants, and you can get your applications in the for role now.
If you’re after a career change in 2026, then surely it doesn’t get much better than this?
The UK’s biggest charity zoo currently has a vacancy open for a Keeper to join the team looking after the elephants on a permanent basis, and for the right candidate, this offers a fantastic opportunity to work with a breeding group of Asian elephants, leading in the development of science and welfare for the species.
Chester Zoo is responsible for one of Europe’s largest and most-diverse animal communities, and this is your chance to be a part of what makes it so special.
Chester Zoo is hiring a ‘passionate’ new keeper to look after its elephants / Credit: Chester Zoo
For this full-time role, the zoo is looking for an ‘enthusiastic, dynamic, and motivated’ individual to provide extensive knowledge and proven expertise in caring for and managing the elephant species within a zoological environment.
“We work hard because we love animals, we care about nature, we love Chester Zoo, and despite all the recent challenges thrown at us, we still want to be the best zoo in the world,” Chester Zoo said in its online advertisement for the new role.
“If you think you can help us to achieve that, then we’d love to hear from you.”
The ideal candidate for this job will have a HND or degree level qualification in a zoological related science or equivalent experience, and have proven experience in the care and management of large mammal species like elephants, as well as the highest standards of exhibitory.
They’ll also have ‘outstanding’ observational skills with excellent attention to detail.
The role of ‘Keeper – Elephants’ is 40 hours per week, with the working week being 10 days out of 14, including weekends and bank holidays as rostered, and the salary being £26,500 per annum.
Working at Chester Zoo comes with an ‘excellent benefits package’ and loads of perks too, including a generous pension scheme, 33 days paid holidays per year, a healthcare plan, pension scheme, a staff pass so you can visit the zoo for free, and complimentary tickets for friends and family.
The closing date for applications is actually very soon (8 January 2026), and you can find out more and apply for the role here.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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Costa finally jumps on the matcha hype after customer demand with new winter menu
Emily Sergeant
Costa has finally jumped on the matcha hype train.
It’s been a long time coming, but after customers have been begging the popular coffee shop chain to start serving what is, undoubtably, the drink of the moment, Costa has finally listened to what the people want and has announced this week that its new winter menu features a range of matcha latte drinks, both hot and cold.
Christmas is over now, and it’s time for Costa’s festive menu to go back into hibernation for another year, which is why this new winter menu is designed to ’embrace fresh rituals’, comforting flavours, and a moment to reset.
Launching tomorrow (8 January), the winter menu will introduce both a selection of new and returning favourites.
Costa has finally jumped on the matcha hype train with a trio of new drinks / Credit: Costa
First up, we have the handcrafted matcha trio, of course, including a Hot Matcha Latte and an Iced Matcha Latte, both fully customisable with your choice of milk alternatives and syrups, or for a more refreshing twist, the Strawberry Coconut Iced Matcha Latte blends creamy coconut with sweet strawberry sauce for an uplifting sip.
The Spanish Latte also returns by popular demand, as does a new Spanish Caramelo Latte, which is a velvety caramel twist on the much-loved original.
On the food front, January’s food menu introduces some ‘bold tastes’ and ‘vibrant’ vegan options, including the new plant-based Onion Bhaji Wrap, packed with spice and flavour, or the new Tomato & Basil Soup for a proper cosy companion.
Morning cravings are covered too, with the new Tomato & Mature Cheddar Croissant, or the new All-Day Breakfast Toastie.
Costa has launched its winter menu for the new year / Credit: Costa
On the sweet side, there’s a couple of returning fan-favourites in the mix – with the Banana & Chocolate Muffin, the Orange & Raspberry Victoria Sponge, and the Berry Crumble Slice, each crafted to elevate that afternoon coffee break.
Nishant Bhatia, Global Food and Beverage Innovation Director at Costa Coffee, said the new January winter menu is about ‘finding small moments of comfort and enjoyment’, adding: “Especially our new matcha range”.
“Costa matcha is designed to be a feel-good ritual, whether you’re discovering matcha for the first time or already love its smooth flavour,” they concluded.
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2022 
