The Met Office has recorded a provisional maximum temperature of 35.3°C at Gogerddan in Ceredigion on Wednesday, August 12, which could go down as the hottest August day in Wales ever.
Ongoing Heatwave
Temperatures remain high in parts of Wales today, with 31°C forecast in Cardiff, 33°C in Wrexham and Monmouth, and 32°C in Newtown, Powys. Elsewhere, temperatures could be more like 22°C in St David's and Holyhead.
Various records have already tumbled this summer. In July, Wales recorded its joint warmest July on record for mean temperature, joining 2006 and 1983 with a mean temperature of 17.8°C, as temperatures were above average both day and night.
Record Checks
Late May saw an unprecedented heatwave for much of the UK, with the highest maximum and minimum temperature May records broken for both the UK and Wales, as well as a new highest May minimum temperature record for Northern Ireland.
The Met Office checks and verifies figures that are published, initially reporting temperatures as provisional while checks are carried out. For example, a record thought to have been broken due to temperatures at Cardiff's Bute Park was scrapped because following a detailed review of the site, which found the station no longer meets the standards required for national temperature records.
Weather Warnings
An amber weather warning is currently in place as temperatures are likely to peak around 38°C in places around the UK. The warning will be in force through much of Thursday and covers parts of southern and eastern England, as well as parts of the Midlands. The warning neighbours most of the Welsh border.
Deputy chief forecaster David Oliver said: “While Thursday will be the peak of the heat this week, some warmth will remain in the south and southeast on Friday, before easing more widely on Saturday as cooler air spreads south from the northwest. High pressure is likely to retain some influence over the weather in the south of the UK later in the weekend but may begin to weaken into the start of next week. Details are uncertain, but this may allow showers or some longer spells of rain to spread across parts of the UK for a time.”
Summer Record Prospects
The Met Office has warned that the UK is on course to record its warmest summer on record for mean temperature, with only average conditions needed for the remainder of August to surpass the record set only last year. In Wales, the mean summer temperature currently stands at 16.8°C, 2.17°C above average. The remainder of the month would need to be 1.4°C below the summer average to equal the existing record.
Met Office senior scientist Mike Kendon said: "Another record-breaking summer now looks increasingly likely for the UK, following the second-warmest June, and second-warmest July on record and yet another heatwave imminent. We’ve seen temperatures hit 38°C in June, 35°C in early and late July, and this threshold is looking to be reached again in the next few days. It’s worth remembering we also reached 35°C in late May and easily exceeded both the May and June previous all-time temperature records this year. These statistics are a clear reminder – if one were needed – of the stark changes that we are seeing in the UK’s climate. Looking ahead, forecasts indicate temperatures will remain well above average through much of the coming week, with another spell of heatwave conditions expected to develop in some areas. While individual hot spells do not determine seasonal records on their own, sustained periods of warmth throughout the summer have contributed to the exceptionally high average temperatures we've seen so far."
