Wales records hottest day of the year on Saturday
The country saw UK highs in Cardiff and Usk on Saturday
Hundreds packed Barry Island on Saturday for the hottest day of the year
(Image: Richard Swingler )
Saturday was Wales' hottest day of the year so far and the hottest day since July of 2022 as temperatures reached scorching highs of 33.1C. The heat bordered on uncomfortable in parts of the south where Cardiff and Usk saw the country's highest recorded temperatures of 33.1C.
Just over the border in Ross on Wye the temperature also reached 33.1C. It became so warm there was severe travel disruption after the heat caused a defect in the railway line at Abercynon, preventing services between Pontypridd, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil.
It led to cancellations for the thousands of Stereophonics fans heading into Cardiff city centre who crammed the city on Saturday afternoon despite the sweltering conditions.
Transport for Wales has warned travellers of continued disruption into Saturday evening and Sunday. You can recap that here.
Scores of people headed to the coast instead as motorists reported queues for the car park at Oxwich Bay were up to an hour long while others typically headed for Barry Island.
Pictures taken on Saturday morning, when temperatures were already pushing 30C, showed hundreds of people along the beach near the pleasure park in Barry while car parks were jam-packed.
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A series of running events had to be cancelled too in Eryri due to the heat while Sunday's Swansea Ironman event could be set to be the warmest on record.
According to BBC weatherman Derek Brockway Saturday saw the hottest day in Wales since July 2022 where temperatures got to 37.1C in Hawarden, Flintshire.
If you're wondering when the heat might become a bit more manageable, you might need to wait another day as the temperatures are expected to reach similar levels on Sunday, likely to be just a degree or two lower with some cloud cover in the afternoon according to the Met Office.
Then from Monday it is turning cooler with some rain expected too on Monday and Tuesday which could at times be heavy and thundery.
Monday is likely to see highs of 21C and towards the middle of the week it'll likely return to the average temperatures for the year - hovering around 20C and generally pleasant from Wednesday onwards.
Records were also broken on Saturday in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, where the fire service issued an extreme risk of wildfire warning, it reached 32C - just the seventh time that has happened since records began. Northern Ireland reached 30C for the first time since July 2022.
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There was also a hosepipe ban declared for millions of people in England while an amber weather warning covered parts of the south.
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