Yesterday saw the fifth-highest temperature on record in the UK as temperatures soared to a maximum of 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in London. This means that 2026 alone now has three entries in the UK's top 10 highest temperatures since records began in 1884.

Another hot day is on the cards for south-eastern parts of the UK today but relief is coming in the form of a weakening cold front that will introduce cooler and fresher air from the northwest during the next couple of days. That cold front is bringing some showery rain to parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland this morning, with some thunderstorms in places too. It will tend to weaken as it slowly pushes south-eastwards today, but as it reaches parts of northern and western England along with Wales this afternoon and meets the hot air to the southeast, it could trigger one or two heavy thunderstorms although these will be hit-and-miss affairs.

For much of central, southern and south-eastern England, it will be another mostly fine and hot day with temperatures in the range of 30°C to 34°C, although these will be down on yesterday's values. It will be progressively cooler the further north and west you are, with maxima across Northern Ireland and the north and west of Scotland in the mid to high teens.

That cold front will continue to sink south-eastwards across England and Wales this evening and tonight, bringing an increase in cloud and the risk of the odd heavy thunderstorm. There is also a risk of some thunderstorms moving up from the near continent into the southeast of England for a time, but many places will remain dry. It will be another warm night towards the southeast but fresher in the north, with that fresher air finally extending to most places by tomorrow. There will be some showers in the north and west, but for many places the weekend will start off dry once any early showers in the southeast clear.

METEOROLOGIST : BARBER

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