A low of 26.8°C was recorded at Shirburn Model Farm in Oxfordshire on 19 July 2022 at 04:32AM, meaning that the temperature never got below 26.8°C over a 24 hour period. This replaces the record set at Kenley Airfield on the same day where 25.8°C was recorded.

The data from some of our stations is reported more slowly than others which is why the record has only just been verified. Once the recording was received it was then rigorously verified and quality checked before being announced as a new national record.

Highest daily minimum temperature records are the lowest temperature recorded through the period between 09:00-09:00 GMT. Minimum temperatures are most likely to occur in the early hours of the morning so the records are associated with the date at the end of the period. This record therefore covers the period 09:00 GMT Monday 18 July – 09:00 GMT Tuesday 19 July.

Met Office Data quality manager, John Penman, said: “This new record is another reminder of just how severe the heat was in July. What is remarkable is just how much this has surpassed the previous record, exceeding the August 1990 record of 23.9°C by nearly three degrees. Much like the daytime highs, the overnight temperatures have smashed the previous records during a period of unprecedented heat in the UK.”

The Met Office has an extensive observation network across the UK. Many of our weather stations send minute by minute readings, but we also have a network of voluntary manual observations for monitoring climate, which are reported less frequently. All potential new records are then confirmed after a verification visit by our Station Weather Assessment Team.