Hottest day as heatwave hits UK

Britain yesterday basked in the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures set to soar again today.

The mercury peaked at 31.9C (89.4F) at Hampton Water Works in Greater London, while scorching weather was also enjoyed by the majority of Britons.

The temperature topped the 30.2C (86.4F) recorded in Teddington on Saturday, and the hot weather is set to continue into next week.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: “We could see 33C on Monday, which we think would be the peak of the heat.

“There’s a small chance of it being even warmer later in the week, but there’s low confidence on that.”

The heat is forecast to keep temperatures in the south and south east of England some 10C (50F) above the usual average for this time of year.

“The sun is as powerful as it can be,” said Met Office forecaster Charles Powell.

“I would say we are in the midst of a heatwave. You can’t really deny the fact that most places are well above average in terms of temperatures, and it feels pretty warm.”

Unusual levels of UV are also being recorded in the UK at the moment, with the strength of the radiation in some spots being as high as that in Cyprus and Gibraltar.