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.”