UK heatwave records hottest day of the year so far
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Today has officially been the hottest day of the year so far.
It seems summer is finally here... in September!
'Bloody hell, it's hot,' will have been sang up and down the UK today (7 September) as we Brits simply aren't cut out for anything above 20C.
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Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: "High pressure is situated to the southeast of the UK, which is bringing more settled conditions and temperatures well above average for the time of year.
"While the highest temperatures are expected in the south, heatwave conditions have already been met for much of England and Wales, with parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland also likely to continue to see some unseasonably high temperatures."
Well, according to Met Office provisional figures, 'today is provisionally the hottest day of the year so far', with a whopping 32.6C being recorded in Wisley, a village in Surrey.
This comes after the UK broke our record for the most consecutive days with temperatures above 30C in September.
Wednesday (6 September) was the third day above 30C, matching a record seen on four previous occasions, most recently in 2016.
Stephen Dixon of the Met Office said temperatures above 30C in September are uncommon but not unheard of – the month’s highest daily temperature reading was 35.6C in 1906 – but the length of this heatwave is particularly unusual.
Mr Dixon said: “On four occasions in Met Office climate statistics has September had three consecutive days of temperatures above 30C.
“Including (Wednesday), we’re up to three on this event and expect to exceed 30C (on Thursday). This would be the most consecutive days of temperatures above 30C in September.”
As a result, we have been witnessing glowing sunsets and hazy dawns as dust from the Sahara is blowing north in the atmosphere.
The plume was captured on satellite imagery moving across the Mediterranean and stretching for more than 1,200 miles on its way to the the UK and Scandinavia.
He explained: “Saharan dust is one factor in the air quality forecast.
“Moderate levels of air pollution are expected across the UK on Saturday, with some high levels also likely for central and eastern parts.
“Air pollution levels will look to reduce from Sunday, as we start to transition to this more unsettled picture from the north west.
“Saharan dust in the atmosphere is generally decreasing in concentration in the coming days and the remnants of that air is expected to push away as the UK returns to a more mobile Atlantic weather pattern from early next week.”
