UK weather: Temperatures set to plunge after warmth peaks at 26C
Before today, all four UK countries had recorded their highest temperatures of the year on Tuesday, following the arrival of very hot air from the European continent.
The addition of the Foehn effect (warm wind blowing downwind of a mountain) meant north-west Wales saw the highest temperatures.
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Wales – 24.8C (76.7F) – Mona, Isle of Anglesey
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England – 22.5C (72.5F) – Merryfield, Somerset
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Scotland – 22.5C (72.5F) – Kinloss, Moray
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Northern Ireland – 19.0C (66.2F) – Armagh, County Armagh
The focus of highest temperatures on Wednesday will be in the Midlands, East Anglia and south-east England, possibly reaching 26C (79F) in some local spots.
This is around 10C above average for early April.
Before this week, the last time a temperature of 25 degrees or higher was recorded in the UK was on 19 September 2025, when the temperature reached 27.8 degrees in St James’s Park in London.
In 2017 and 2020, 25C (77F) was recorded around this time in April, but last year this temperature was not reached until the last day of the month.
The highest temperature recorded in April in the UK was 29.4C (84.9F), measured in London in 1949.
There are some ways to overcome this, but due to climate change, spring is the season that warms the fastest.
Scotland and Northern Ireland won’t be as hot. The cloud will break to give some sunshine and temperatures could still reach as high as 18C (64F) in eastern Scotland.
