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How Hot Are You? Britain's Top Temperatures

How Hot Are You? Britain's Top Temperatures

It's official! Today is the hottest day in the UK for nine years - and the hottest July day ever recorded - after London's Heathrow Airport notched up 36.7C (98.06F).

That temperature, recorded this afternoon, easily beat the previous high for this year - 33C (91.4F) set in Jersey on Tuesday.

Early indications showed Britain was in for a treat with temperatures in London's Kew Gardens hitting 29.4C (85F) as early as 9am.

While the heatwave is expected to peak in London and the South East , other parts of the country are also basking in temperatures in the late 20s and early 30s.

In the Midlands, Birmingham reached 32C (89.6F) by 4pm, while Manchester was up to 29.5C (85.1F). Bristol hit temperatures of 30.8C (87.4F).

Things were cooler in the South West and North East though.

Exeter recorded a comparatively low 22.5C (72.5F) while Swansea recorded 21.8C (71.2F).

In Newcastle it peaked at 22.7C (72.8F) by lunchtime.

Across the Irish Sea, Dublin reached 22.6C (72.7F), while temperatures in Glasgow climbed gradually to reach 25C (77F) by midday.

Further north, Scotland saw its warmest day of the year so far as Kinloss recorded 25.8C (78.4F) and Aviemore in the Highlands 28.5C (83.3.2F)

The heatwave is being caused by a warm front and tropical continental air mass from Europe.

The Met Office says some UK cities would be hotter than popular summer destinations such as Barcelona and Athens.

But there is one European capital predicted to be hotter than London. Paris is forecast to reach an eye-watering temperature of 39C (102.2F) before the day is out.