Warmest days of the year so far

THE UK’s mini-heatwave has smashed records for the year with parts of the country experiencing temperatures nearing 30C.

Northolt in west London peaked at 28.30C yesterday afternoon, surpassing Tuesday’s record of 26.10C in Cardiff, and meaning the UK recorded its third successive warmest day of 2021.

Parts of Surrey and Kent also saw temperatures of between 27 and 280C, while the village of Hawarden in Flintshire reached 26.50C to become Wales’ own warmest day of the year.

Scotland also recorded its hottest days of 2021 with Achnagart reaching 25.40C, while the 23.30C in Ballywatticock, Northern Ireland, matched its previous warmest day of the year.

But areas in south-west England and south Wales, which had enjoyed sunny and warm weather in recent days, experienced some heavy showers in the afternoon.

The Met Office said the rain was likely to move northwards through the day and into the evening with heavy and potentially thundery showers expected.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said temperatures have peaked, but despite the risk of more showers the rest of the week would “still be on the warm side”.

The warm weather has been a welcome break for people following a washout May, which brought heavy downpours and prolonged spells of rain for much of the UK.

Wales experienced the wettest May since records began in 1862, with 245mm of rainfall, topping the previous record of 184mm set in 1967, according to the Met Office.