SunnyPlease

Yeah, really depends where you are. I’m strictly talking about the south east though (Cambridge). I’d say it’s approaching 2018 territory (2018 started in June but ended earlier at the start of August). I’d say it has been drier than even 2018 here, but has been slightly less consistent (poor patch at the end of July, and June was very average) On the other hand, we didn’t have a record breaker in 2018. I still think it lags behind 2018 overall, but is easily the best aside from that year since 1976. 2013,2006,2003, 1995 and 1983 were all largely one month pony’s. Sustained periods of settled, dry and warm weather such as this are very very rare

This Summer still hasn’t surpassed 2018 for me, but it’s close. I’d say it’s second to 2018 since 1976. If it stays like this until the end of August though, it would have claims as the second best since 1976 or at least tied with 2018

Can I bottle this heat to take it to winter when I’m paying £400 a month for energy please…thanks. Say what you want about this summer, but it’s been lovely and we even have a very rare nice August to boot. Winter is going to come hideously this year. Weather and money wise

I understand people have different weather preferences but I must say how nice it is to have a prolonged summer, and a very rare nice August. I will also say this….people will be crying for this weather come the winter when they’re using all their salaries to pay for gas….just saying

It's very dry here in the SE, and has been for some time now. There aren't many days where I bump into rain when outside, which while obviously can get problematic for water levels if very prolonged, is actually nice to experience in the UK as frequent rain depresses the hell out of me. I wouldn't say it's quite on 2018 levels, but it's mighty close. But, like 2018, the trend will be reversed in time, and no doubt we will pay back for it in a big way. Hopefully that is in Autumn/Winter rather than August and September. Mother nature always compensates for it, it's just a matter of time.

You're in Dorset...it's hardly surprising. It's very difficult to even break 30c there.

Warmest July was 19.8c CET. Given we're at around 18c now (12th warmest) it's not impossible we could beat 19.8c, but we really would need a reload next week and virtually no days under 22/23c. It's possible, but I think it'll be short. Just don't see the end of July being quite warm enough, for all it's been very extreme recently. I think it'll end up somewhere around the 19c mark. 0.2-0.3 below 2018, but still in the top five. It's hard to judge though. The next record I want to see go is our first 20c CET month. We can do it this month, but would be a tall order.

Azores high is my big friend at this time of year. Just give me a nice long, dry , warm and sunny Summer and I won't complain about the garbage in Autumn and Winter.

That generally doesn't happen in this country though. It's either very dry, or peeing it down most days. Once the Atlantic has hold, you'll generally end up firmly on the wet/cool side. I'm not adverse to rain, but don't like the Atlantic in Summer. Given the choice, I'd rather keep the rain low and the grass yellow. Bags of time to top-up rainfall levels from October to March/April.

Preferences. I don't knock people who think the opposite. But for me, it was a special day. Such low humidity with high heat is so so rare, and I'll probably be able to count on one hand the amount of times a day like today will happen in my life. Actually, I have seen many people saying they enjoyed today due to the low humidity.

It really was exceptional. One of those days you'll always remember, and I'll miss it.

34c in my flat.

I think positively. It's looking like there isn't going to be a big breakdown, which usually sends us back into a cycle of Atlantic muck. I know people wish for rain/storms after a hot spell, but they usually come at the cost of weeks of dross after. Of course we could do with a drop of rain, but at least it's remaining stable, so there's a reasonable chance of a reload/continuation of settled and warm weather.

This, this. Dryness isn't the only metric to a good summer of course, but if the grass is yellow/brown, you can be fairly sure you've had a good summer/prolonged spell. Bold green grass in Summer is a no no.

Still not a cloud in sight in Haverhill, Suffolk. Well above 30c still.

And…I have a power cut. Always seems to happen when it’s very warm. So annoying. So no fan, no nothing

The blowtorch wind is what is most extraordinary about this heat. I have never felt that in this country. The wind is usually cooling. Today has really been a heat lovers and extremist paradise

If you think the UK is going to turn into Italy with multiple months of warm/hot weather and dry as bone nearly every summer, you're mistaken. Average temps will of course rise, but it won't suddenly turn the UK into the Costa Del Sol in terms of longevity of summers. The UK is an unstable climate where long and settled summers like 1976 and 2018 are very rare. I don't think that will change. Just the average max temps will.

What's most incredible about this plume, other than the maximum, is the dryness of the heat. I, like many in here, have experienced med heat like Italy and Spain etc. Close your eyes and the heat feels the same. Again, very very rare. In fact, I have never felt heat that is this extreme yet so dry in this country. The Summer of 2018 still stands as my most beloved weather event in this country, but this really isn't far behind. It beats the 2003, 2015 and 2019 plumes by some margin. Not just in raw temperature, but also the feel.

I would argue that about now is the hottest part of the year. Yet another reason why we achieved the temperature we did. The most extreme warming imo occurs in a ten day window in the middle of July. If the plume of 2003 had come in mid July rather than on the 10th August, I have no doubt it would have been higher.

Within our lifetime? Sure. But breaking a previous record by 2c or more will not be replicated within a couple of years like 2019. I don't think people are grasping how rare this event is. Sure, global warming is here, but this setup was the most extreme possible.

Most of the reason we have hit 40c at all is because the plume extended into a second day whilst still retaining the high uppers. That in itself is extremely rare.

The last record fell by 0.2c, hardly very surprising. This one has fallen by 2c or more in all reality by the end of the day. I am NOT denying climate change at all, but if you think this is just another 2019, well, you're wrong.

I am well aware of climate change, and it's obviously here. I just think this is a very fierce setup and the odds of there being another any time soon are low. We'll just have more days that are mid 30's or higher rather than to break such an extreme record so soon. Do you know how exemplary it is to break a record by probably 2c or more? Climate change or not, that takes a very unique and fierce weather system, and we won't see it often, I know that much.

40c on my shaded thermometer. Usually out by 0.3c when I compare it, so I'm at about 39.7c or so. Every chance I will hit 40c with clear blue skies still