Author: Eric Gilbert

Wednesday 15th July
The cloud from the North Sea took considerable time to burn away on Tuesday, in fact, although there were odd bursts of sunshine in the morning it was not until around 14.00 that there were greater breaks and strong sunshine broke through. After the cool morning the heat built to a maximum of 26.1C late afternoon at 18.40 being 3.2C above average, making it the coolest day since the 4th. The back track of the radar showed variable cloud arrived from the south overnight then receding before thiner cloud arrived from the north east around 05.00.

The start to the new day on Wednesday revealed thin high cloud that muted the sunshine, by 08.00 the temperature had eased upwards to reach 18.9C. With only thin early morning cloud it is likely that today will be hotter than the previous two days with the maximum temperature returning once again to be above the heatwave threshold of 27C. The flow of air from the northeast will continue and be gusty again.

The forecast pressure charts indicate that the anticyclone will hang around, just to the west or northwest of the UK for the foreseeable future that will mean the continuation of several more days of hot sunshine with no indication of any rain in the forecast. It looks as if the low pressure to the southwest will not reach central southern areas of the UK.

Climate extremes are becoming the new ‘normal’ for the UK

Author: Met Office
00:05 (UTC+1) on Tue 14 Jul 2026

“What we used to think of as extreme, we increasingly consider as normal.” That is the summarising comment from Mike Kendon, the Met Office lead author of the latest edition of the State of the UK Climate report.

The report, which covers 2025 puts the latest year and decade into a historical context, tells us about the changes already seen in the UK’s climate.

The key change in the UK’s climate is the ongoing rise in temperatures, with extremes particularly affected.

Mike Kendon, Met Office climate information scientist, said: “2025 was the UK’s warmest year on record, the sixth time this record has been broken in the 21stCentury so far. The last four years are all in the top five warmest years. With warming at around 0.25°C per decade since the 1980s, it seems likely this record will be broken again in a matter of years.”

The latest 10-year period (2016-2025) is 1.33°C warmer than the period from 1961-1990.

Warming moving north and uphill

Mike Kendon added: “Think of this warming as moving north and uphill, with areas like the Vale of York and Lancashire now having similar annual temperatures to those experienced by Greater London in 1961-1990. In the south east we are seeing the emergence of new warmer climates, while in our northern upland areas we are losing the climatologically coldest habitats from the tops of our mountains.

Our climate is on the move – literally. The trend shows that in the 1980s annual average temperatures of 11°C were virtually unknown in the UK yet by 2025 almost a fifth of the land surface reached that value.

“What is particularly concerning is how temperature extremes are being affected, as these cause the greatest impacts – a pattern we’ve seen again in 2026 so far. In parts of the south-east, the hottest day of the year has warmed by 4.5°C, three times that of annual mean temperature, and we are now coming to expect 35°C at some point in a hot spell in summer.

Yet, despite historic heatwaves like 1976, overall temperatures as high as this were comparatively unusual in the 20th Century – back then we did not reach even 30°C, anywhere in the UK, in approximately one year in every five. As an illustration, the number of days of over 30°C has quadrupled in areas such as Greater London.”

Tuesday 14th July
The varied cloud cover that had arrived from the east on Monday morning took quite a while to burn off before the sun began to shine strongly around 10.00, that eventually raised the temperature to a maximum of 26.7C. This high was the first peak since the 4th that had not reached the heatwave threshold, however, it was still 3.8C above average. A low of 14.8C at 05.15 early Tuesday was 2.8C above average. The notable feature once again was the strength of the northeasterly wind that was very gusty with a peak of 25mph, but frequently almost as strong.

the start to Tuesday was a repeat of Monday morning, only that the cloud cover that had drifted in from the North Sea overnight was complete and dense, resulting in minimal sunshine to lift the temperature. It will take a little longer than on Monday for the cloud to burn back east to reveal the sun.

There is a divergence of opinion between the Met Office and the BBC weather forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. The reason is due the depression to the west of Brittany that could edge closer to southern Britain that might result in showers or even thunderstorms moving north. The forecast pressure charts indicate that a few troughs of low pressure will form on its northern edge that might produce a little rain, or probably less likely at the moment, thunderstorms.

Although the forecast pressure charts indicate that the centre of the anticyclone will slowly relocate southwestwards, it will still dominate our weather up to the weekend with a continuation of the northeasterly breeze, but less strong.

There is also a divergence of opinion on peak temperatures. The Met Office suggest that as temperatures ease downwards, the last of the days when a heat threshold of 27C is reached will be over the weekend and a little lower thereafter. However, The BBC forecast is that the heatwave will continue well into next week. I know my garden would prefer the Met Office forecast, as I would!

Monday 13th July
The significant feature on Sunday, after the extreme heat, was the very gusty northeasterly breeze that although it moderated the temperature a little was at times uncomfortable due to its strength, gusting to 24mph at its peak. The maximum of 29.9C was 7.0C above average although it was the lowest peak since the 7th. The past night was cooler than recently as the thermometer dropped away to 13.6C at 05.30 early Monday, being just 1.6C above average making it the coolest night since the 12th.

Monday began much cooler than of late. The back track of the cloud radar showed variable cloud arriving just after 05.00, which had drifted in from the North Sea. It thickened considerably around 06.30, which resulted in the sun being muted for the start of the new day. As a result the temperature at 08.00 had risen very little from the minimum reaching 15.7C, which made it the coolest start to a new day at that time since the 3rd. The cloud will slowly burn back towards the east as the sun gets higher in the sky and strengthens, so another hot day ahead.

There is very little movement between the two weather systems as the high slowly edges just a little further north, between Scotland and Iceland, and the depression continues to reside just to the west of the Bay of Biscay. The pressure gradient between the high and low has increased that will likely mean the strong, gusty breeze will continue today, and from the northeasterly quarter, in fact checking my instruments, I noted a gust of 25mph at 08.20.

The high temperatures are likely to very slowly reduce as the week progresses but still be well above the July average and in fact not likely to drop below the heatwave threshed of 27C until the weekend.

Heatwave continues as UK records unprecedented run of 35°C days

Author: Met Office
13:15 (UTC+1) on Fri 10 Jul 2026

Temperatures of 35°C or higher have now been recorded in May, June and July of the same year for the first time in the UK weather record, as heatwave conditions continue through the weekend and into next week.

Met Office Science Manager, Dr Amy Doherty, said: “This year has already seen a number of remarkable temperature milestones. Not only have we now recorded a record eight days with temperatures exceeding 34°C, surpassing the previous record held by 1976 and 2020, but it is also the first year in the UK weather record to see temperatures reach 35°C or higher in May, June and July.

These records highlight just how notable this year has been for UK temperatures, with exceptional warmth observed across multiple months.”

Sunday 12th July
Saturday was yet another very hot day with temperatures rising well above the heatwave threshold, however, the maximum of 30.5C was almost 3C down on the Friday peak but still 7.6C above average. The edge was taken off the peak temperature due to the very blustery and gusty wind from a northeasterly quarter that gusted to 20mph overnight at 01.27 early Sunday, with little reduction in the average speed. The low of 15.3C, logged at 05.09, just after sunrise in Marlborough at 05.04, was 3.3C above average. The past three nights have produced almost identical minima with 15.3C, 15.1C and 15.3C respectively.

The rise in heat on Sunday morning was limited due to the variable cloud that had drifted in from the North Sea overnight, which muted the strength of the sun. By 08.00 the temperature had risen to 17.4C, which made it the coolest start to a day at that time since the 4th (16.7C). The gusty wind from a northeasterly direction continues.

The anticyclone now centred off the Scottish north coast is resisting the advances of the low-pressure system just off the Bay of Biscay, the barometric pressure had risen 4mb since Friday at 08.00. Various troughs and a weather front are forecast to develop from the depression as the week progresses, but current thinking is that although the low pressure will edge towards our south coast it will have minimal affect on our weather. The BBC forecast suggests drizzle and light rain might arrive at the end of the week whilst the Met Office disagree at the moment. Although peak temperatures will fall away a little as the week progresses they are likely to still be well above average.

An interesting piece of research related to human response to the heatwave, but not unexpected.

More than half of UK households spent extra money during last month’s heat-wave, with many forced to buy cooling essentials as temperatures soared, new research suggests.

A YouGov survey commissioned by MyVoucherCodes found that 52% of Britons spent more than usual during the June heatwave, while 56% said they now experience “heatwave anxiety”.

The findings suggest many households faced unexpected costs as they bought items such as fans, paddling pools, cold drinks and extra refreshments to cope with the hot weather.

More than one in five (21%) said they spent over £50 during the heatwave.

Around one in five respondents also estimated they spent more than £100 simply to stay cool, highlighting the financial impact periods of unusually hot weather can have on household budgets.

Saturday 11th July
It was thought that the peak temperature for the current heatwave would have been on Friday, however, the peak was on Thursday as the Friday high of 33.1C was 1.1C below the Thursday peak but still a significant 10.2C above average. The UV high of 5.7 was the lowest for a week but at the lower end of High. Thankfully, much heat did dissipate overnight leading to a minimum of 15.1C at 04.31 early Saturday, which was 3.1C above average.

Saturday arrived with the sun relentless shortly after sunrise as it rose above thin cloud on the eastern horizon, that had drifted in from the North Sea overnight, along the east coast. The slow relocation of the anticyclone will see the breeze continue from an easterly direction and be a little stronger, which is likely to slightly temper peak temperatures over the next few days, however, for another week they will still be in heatwave territory.

The ground is still absorbing, and holding onto the heat, with 24.5C, 24.7C and 25.1C recorded at 08.00 over the last three days, at a depth of 5cm.

Yesterday there were indications of a depression beginning to develop around the Bay of Biscay. The forecast charts indicate that this low pressure system will edge closer to the UK and begin to develop a weather front, however, although that will edge closer to the UK it is not thought at the moment that it will begin to affect our weather as the high pressure to the northwest is reluctant to give way. The barometric pressure continues to be high having risen 3mb since yesterday. The significant change will be that the breeze from an easterly direction will become quite brisk today, and over the next few days, due to a squeeze between the two weather systems producing an increase in the pressure gradient.

At the present time one forecast model suggests that light rain might be possible on Thursday and Friday if the depression edges closer.