Met Office registers highest July temperature in past century

The Meteorological Office measured the highest temperature for the month of July in the past 100 years.

The Met Office also announced that a seven-day heatwave is expected to conclude today.

On Saturday, July 18, the mercury peaked at a historic 43.3°C, a figure that sits just 0.5°C below the national all-time record of 43.8°C established in August 1999. 

The first heatwave of 2026 began on July 16 with temperatures of 38.1°C and remained significantly above the July average maximum of 31.7°C throughout its duration. 

Temperatures exceeded the 42°C mark for three consecutive days for the first time in recorded history, leading the Meteorological Office to issue its highest level of alert.

Meteorologists identified the cause of this extreme weather as an Omega Block, a slow-moving bulge of high pressure from North Africa that was trapped between two cooler low-pressure systems. 

While the heatwave is ending, temperatures will remain high, forecast between 33°C and 35°C, resulting in a transition to a Yellow Weather Warning as conditions stay above climatic averages.

Residents are advised that humidity will likely increase overnight following a shift to east-southeasterly winds, though moderate northwesterly winds on Friday should provide temporary relief before southerly winds return for the weekend.