New July temperature record set in the UK by Laura Gilchrist
The UK’s July daily maximum temperature record, which stood for 95 years, was broken on Wednesday 19th. The mercury reached 36.5°C (97.7°F) at the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Wisley in Surrey, beating the previous record of 36.0°C (96.8°F) which was set just up the road in Epsom in 1911.
It was originally thought that the record had been set in Charlwood, also in Surrey, when a high of 36.3°C was reached during Wednesday afternoon. The reading from Wisley came in at around 10pm UK time, making Charlwood’s reign a short-lived one. It is possible that Wisley’s crown could also be stolen, after other observations from around the country are gathered and quality-controlled.
The UK’s hottest ever recorded temperature was set in a similar way on 10th August 2003. On the day itself, the highest temperature noted was 38.1°C in Gravesend, just past the magical 100°F mark which had never before been reached in the UK. This record stood for seven weeks, until new data came in from another part of Kent. It was revealed on 30th September 2003 that the all-time temperature record was in fact set in Brogdale, near Faversham, which reached 38.5°C (101.3°F) on 10th August. The data from Brogdale only arrives at the Met Office on a monthly basis, and had to be checked for accuracy before the record could be confirmed.
Temperatures on Thursday in the UK will be several degrees lower than those recorded on Wednesday, but will still be in the high 20s Celsius (around 80°F). The humidity levels will be higher than of late however, so little relief from the heat will be had. Current indications are that temperatures are set to rise again come the weekend.
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