UK Records Hottest Day of Year so Far as Mercury Hits 24.9C
The UK experienced its hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching 24.9C in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, according to the Met Office. This surpasses the previous highest temperature of 24.5C recorded in St James’s Park, London, on Monday. The Met Office warned last month that the climate crisis is pushing temperature extremes to new levels, and forecasters predict that temperatures could hit 27C or 28C on Wednesday in southern England and the Midlands.
Meteorologist Craig Snell told the PA news agency that the central southern parts of the UK are likely to experience the warmest weather on Wednesday. "The central southern parts of the UK are probably going to be where the highest temperatures will be tomorrow," he said. Snell also warned that Thursday would be "the peak of the heat", with temperatures potentially reaching 28C or 29C. "We are likely to see 28C or 29C, and again it’s going to be a corridor from the west of London over towards Bristol which will probably be the most likely places to see the highest temperatures," he added.
The Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen noted that April temperatures in the mid-20s are "not particularly unusual", but added that it is more unusual to see temperatures reach the high 20s. "If we see 30C this week, it will be the earliest point in the year in which we have achieved that threshold," he said. The highest recorded April temperature was in 1949, when Camden Square, London, recorded 29.4C.
The warm weather has also raised concerns about safety around open-water swimming. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has urged caution after last month saw a 32% increase in water-related incidents compared with the same period last year. Craig Carter, the LFB’s assistant commissioner for prevention and protection, warned that even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold. "Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how fit or experienced they are," he said.
Research published this month found that the number of UK homes overheating in summer quadrupled to 80% over the past decade. The study also found that the use of air conditioning soared sevenfold to 21% of homes between 2011 and 2022. The researchers warned that continuation of this trend could put strain on the national electricity grid, increase carbon emissions, and fuel social disadvantage among families unable to afford air conditioning.
The UK’s warm weather is part of a larger trend of rising temperatures. According to data from the UK Health Security Agency, more than 10,000 people have died as a result of summer heatwaves from 2020 to 2024. Dr Mehri Khosravi at the University of East London, who led the study, described the huge rise in overheated homes and air conditioner use as "a shocking result". "Over the heatwaves experienced in 2022 we had nearly 4,500 dead, but this excess mortality is hidden," she added.
As the UK continues to experience warmer temperatures, the Met Office is warning that temperatures will drop across much of the country on Friday as the high pressure starts to pull away. Meanwhile, Wales could also set a new record for its highest April temperature, currently 26.2C. The Guardian reported that the climate crisis is pushing temperature extremes to new levels, and that the UK’s warm weather is part of a larger trend of rising temperatures.
The Met Office is also warning that the UK could experience its earliest 30C temperature on record later this week. If temperatures reach 30C, it will be the earliest point in the year that this threshold has been achieved. The Guardian understands that the UK’s warm weather is part of a larger trend of rising temperatures, driven by the burning of fossil fuels.
Wales could also set a new record for its highest April temperature, currently 26.2C. The Met Office is warning that temperatures will continue to rise, and that the UK could experience more heatwaves in the coming months.
According to the Guardian, temperatures are forecast to drop across much of the UK on Friday as the high pressure starts to pull away. The Met Office is warning that the UK could experience more heatwaves in the coming months, and that the climate crisis is pushing temperature extremes to new levels.
The research published this month found that the number of UK homes overheating in summer quadrupled to 80% over the past decade. The study also found that the use of air conditioning soared sevenfold to 21% of homes between 2011 and 2022.
As reported by the Guardian, more than 10,000 people have died as a result of summer heatwaves from 2020 to 2024, data from the UK Health Security Agency shows. The huge rise in overheated homes and air conditioner use was “a shocking result”, said Dr Mehri Khosravi at the University of East London, who led the study.
Source: The Guardian
