Seriously, I'm not surprised. It's the closest official site to here and I can't remember ever feeling so hot when working from home (well not since our Jiries style conservatory was replaced with a proper extension a few years ago anyway)

Nudging back up again here, 33.8 at Blackbushe, 36.2 in Fleet. Lots of local PWSs now 36 degrees.

The MetO are playing catchup! And of course, the army of naysayers are right there. Just a minute or two later...

"Is this a genuine reading or from one of your dodgy weather stations?"

There's just no hope, is there?

Great that you put this in Nick and I would ask posters/ readers to take note of it.

I've heard some people say that it's so humid there's no point in moisture for cooling, which isn't right of course. It might limit evaporative cooling but heat can still be conducted away from the body by cool liquid and, as you say, ice packs.

I went to the N coast of the IOW today to benefit from the light northerly breeze. It was still roasting and I pitied these guys swinging breeze blocks over in a construction site. My Dad was a builder and the first thing they did after clocking off was hit the pub. Not the best plan.

Toby Young is to blame for this particular trope - he put out a daft story on his "Daily Sceptic" site claiming that the Met Office was inventing readings from made-up or non-existent weather stations, because he (or his "environment correspondent") doesn't understand the concept of interpolation.

I've never heard of him, but it makes sense - for decades people have preferred to take advice from the man in the pub rather than their doctor, etc!

On a completely different subject, have a look at the radar: it's showing widespread light rain across the south, including near here. The skies are clear - flying ants, perhaps?

Exactly what it is, saw the solider ants this morning and knew what was coming. Swarms of ants everywhere at the moment

I saw that - it was the same last night.

Netweather radar page says there is a technical issue and they are not receiving data, although it seems to be updating.

Now 33C on the thermostat in my home office. Heat pump outdoor sensor, which has been in the shade for a few hours now, reading 39C!

Interesting.

In July 1999 Southampton airport recorded 31°C on one day, but the Southampton (by the sea- or at least estuary) station in Mayflower Park managed just under 30.

The BBC (Then met office linked) publicly discredited the 31 on the grounds that the tarmac would make things hotter. True of course, but Heathrow has never come into question.

Incidentally, the location of the recording station in Mayflower Park contributed massively to its 1976 record, and with the wind quarter today, I reckon it might have approached 40; when Southampton had 35.6, the CET max was more than 5c lower.

You piqued my curiosity to look at the other readings for that day (June 26 1976)

Of the sites that are still around and recorded 34C+ that day...

Wisley hit 34.9 (beaten today)

Heathrow hit 34.8 (beaten today)

Kew hit 34.6 (probably beaten today, highest hourly was 34.5)

Santon Downham hit 34.6 (not beaten today)

Alice Holt hit 34.2 (beaten today)

Thorney Island hit 34.1 (beaten today)

Cambridge BG hit 34.0C (probably not beaten today)

Except in the east, it was hotter today pretty much everywhere it seems.

BTW the Southampton Oceanographic Centre just hit 36.3, although that is not an official site.

Had a feeling this area could top the charts, maxed out at 36c here which is only a few miles from Gosport.

https://pondtailweather.com/selectachart.htm 

We can't be far off a June record for Wales, too - 33C at Cardiff, the record is 33.7C I believe.

Wasnt the second runway supposed to be here, its been talked about for years. 

36.3C there now, which suggests that we could see a few tenths higher than that when the full data is used.

No, they want to use the current emergency runway and move them slightly within the current airport footprint I think. Anyway that's well off topic...

Sorry, can't seem to do the proper quote thing on the phone

Cardiff hit 33.3c today - Usk No.2 might come in higher later.

Until tomorrow maybe?

Then Friday keeps the heat out East with a 39c over East Anglia.

Keeps the possibility of an all time record alive.