Monday 18th July 2022

Well we didn’t quite beat records today. It looks like the UK maximum was 38.1’C (subject to confirmation), and Reading University seems to have recorded a maximum of 35’C.

Tomorrow will be hotter.

Thanks to Chris for the photograph – didn’t expect to see a zebra grazing near Reading, but hey, times have changed.

This evening remains hot and sunny, otherwise mostly clear skies overnight – rural locations may get down to 20’C, urban locations closer to 23’C. The overnight UK record temperature will be broken, almost certainly.

Tuesday sees the low pressure approach that has caused the exceptional heat to be pumped this far.

Long spells of sunshine during the morning and most of the afternoon, and exceptionally hot – 37’C should be reached, perhaps 39’C…an outside chance of 40’C but I think we are too far west. By late afternoon, a band of cloud and the odd isolated shower will cross – an outside chance of a thundery downpour, but more likely just a few large spots of rain, or just cloud – this will begin the process of de-hotting, and the evening will be less hot than Monday’s was. Some clear spells overnight, some cloud, a small chance of a shower – down to around 18’C. Phew.

A bit of uncertainty for Wednesday as the low continues to push through and tries to clear the hot, dry air. Some sunny spells, but plenty of cloud and likely at least some scattered thundery showers developing – how widespread is uncertain, we may miss them all, but also there may be a few downpours. On the hot side still, and more humid, around 28’C but very give and take – will depend on how much sunshine there is. Some cloud, some clear spells overnight, down to around 15’C.

For Thursday, the Azores High builds once more across the UK – so we’ll be back to sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud, potentially rather cloudy over the lunch period. Around 26’C, give or take. A lot of high/mid level cloud overnight – maybe a shower. Around 16’C.

Friday looks like seeing a small area of low pressure over France, which brings some uncertainty to our forecast – possible that there will be some heavy showers breaking out, but if and the extent is impossible to forecast right now. Otherwise, some sunny spells, variable cloud, around 24’C.

Saturday sees the shower risk reduced – likely more in the way of sunny spells though some cloud at times too. Temperatures back up – 27’C should be achieved, maybe more.

Sunday sees low pressure approach the UK from the west – some uncertainty but more likely it stays to our north-west, and causes hotter air to be pumped up. So more likely, long spells of sunshine with temperatures up to around 31’C. But the possibility of low pressure crossing the UK and bringing rain cannot yet be discounted – though with probabilities of 85% that it is hot and sunny.

A chance of showers to start next week – temperatures uncertain, anywhere from 24’C to 35’C.

Midweek onwards looks more likely to see the Azores High stretch across the UK once more, temperatures roughly in the range of 23’C to 28’C, with decent spells of sunshine. Far from guaranteed though, and maybe the shower risk is greater than it has been.

Right, that’ll do. I’m away for a very long weekend, so no full forecast until next week – probably on the Tuesday evening. Any tips for Copenhagen, feel free to comment!

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