Cooler weather forecast after UK sees hottest day of the year

Independent

8 hours ago

Sunday is expected to see 'cooler' and 'fresher' weather after the UK recorded the hottest day of the year, with a provisional high of more than 33C measured in Surrey.
On Saturday, provisional temperatures recorded included 33.2C in Charlwood, Surrey, 26.9C in Bute Park in Cardiff and 27.2C in Aviemore in the Highlands.
However, Sunday is expected to be a day of 'sunny spells and showers' with highs of around 27C and 28C, Met Office weather forecaster Dan Stroud said.
Conditions are expected to feel 'a lot fresher' in the west of the country whilst remaining 'very warm and humid' in the east, he added.
'For the vast majority of the country, the temperature is going to be much, much closer to the mid, late June average.
'As we move our way through Sunday night into Monday, it's going to feel a lot fresher for us all, a lot more comfortable sleeping conditions.'
This comes after a yellow warning for thunderstorms, covering parts of south-east Scotland, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales was issued by the Met Office from 5pm on Saturday until 3am on Sunday.
Up to 40mm of rain could fall in less than two hours, the forecaster said, as it urged those in the warning areas, which includes Manchester, Derbyshire and Newcastle upon Tyne, to consider whether their location is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare accordingly.
Overnight on Saturday, 'a lot cooler' and 'a lot fresher' conditions are forecast, with the exception of the east of England, including London and the South East, which could experience a 'tropical night', Mr Stroud said.
'In one or two spots that could potentially be a tropical night, which is where the overnight minimums actually fail to drop below 20 degrees,' he added.
'We haven't had any of those yet.'
On Friday night, Somerset came 'very close' to recording a tropical night as temperatures dropped to a minimum of 19.7C, the forecaster said.
An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK.
'Many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave following Friday's highest temperatures, the Met Office previously said.
An amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, for all regions in England remains in place over the weekend.
The agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period.
Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales.
Ireland's hottest temperature for almost three years of 29.6C was recorded on Friday in Mount Dillon, Co Roscommon, Irish forecaster Met Eireann said.
Pharmacies have advised their patients to store medicines safely as the heat-health alert continues, adding that most medicines kept at room temperature should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and hot areas, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said.
Warmer temperatures may lead to some medicine losing its effectiveness or unwanted side effects, the NPC added.
The hot weather comes as thousands of people watched the sunrise over Stonehenge in Wiltshire to celebrate the summer solstice on Saturday, marking the year's longest day.