Phew! It’s hottest June 18 since records began
BRITAIN enjoyed its hottest day of the year yesterday, with the marker likely to be broken as early as today and fine weather expected to continue into next week.
Temperatures will soar to 86F (30C) in the South and South East, some 20F above the usual average for this time of year. It means that Britain will be hotter than Thailand today, making it the hottest June 18 since records began 167 years ago.
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said today was likely to be the hottest day of the year so far, adding: “Even parts of Scotland could get into the mid-20s.” He said that building heat had raised the temperature yesterday to around in some parts, particularly in the South East.
The hottest part of the country was Bushy Park in Teddington, London, which reached 86F (30C).
He added: “On Sunday we are more likely to see 30C, with a small chance of an isolated 31C. The temperature is going to peak on Monday when we could easily get 31C or 32C.”
The warm weather sent sun-seekers flocking to the coast, with around 150,000 people travelling to Brighton yesterday and a similar number expected again today. Bournemouth had 80,000 visitors while Great Yarmouth had 75,000 coming to soak up the sun.
Traffic jams are expected on coastal routes including the A23 to Brighton, A31 to Dorset, A30 to Cornwall and M55 to Blackpool.
Meanwhile, Asda is expecting to sell a million burgers and 500,000 sausages this weekend, with Tesco expected to sell 200,000 ice lollies, up to three million bottles of beer and two million bottles of wine.
Hospitals have been put on alert for an increase in admissions, and health and social workers have been told to prepare to make daily contact with the ill, vulnerable and elderly. Public Health England’s Heatwave Plan for England said: “Excessive exposure to high temperatures can kill. Excess seasonal deaths start to occur at 25C.”
The warm weather will bring muggy nights to London and the South as high pressure sitting to the south-west draws in warm air.
Most areas are likely to have fine and settled weather, with a gradual cooling from the middle of next week and thunderstorms threatening Glastonbury mud from midweek.
But parts of the far north and northwest of Scotland, and the far west of Northern Ireland, could get some rain.