The United Kingdom has today recorded its hottest-ever day with temperatures hitting a high of 40.2 C (104.4 F) in south England, according to provisional data from the Met Office.  The recording of 40.2C was taken at 12.50 p.m. today, and the forecaster expects temperatures to continue to rise. This surpasses the record of 39.1C set earlier in the day (see below). A previous high of 38.7C was recorded in 2019.

‘If confirmed this will be the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK. Temperatures are likely to rise further through today,’ the Met Office reported on Twitter.