AI models have pinpointed August 8th, 2024, as the hottest day of the year in the UK, with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
This day is expected to bring sweltering temperatures across the nation, with major cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Cardiff experiencing remarkable heat spikes.
On August 8th, London is forecasted to reach a scorching 35 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day of the year for the capital.
In Manchester temperatures are set to soar to 32 degrees Celsius, while Birmingham will swelter under 34 degrees Celsius.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh will experience a significant rise to 30 degrees Celsius, and Cardiff will hit 31 degrees Celsius.
This predicted heatwave is noteworthy, particularly when compared to the temperature records of previous years.
While the anticipated highs are impressive, they fall a touch short of the record-breaking heat experienced in 2020 and 2022.
In 2020, the UK saw temperatures climb to a blistering 37.8 degrees Celsius in London on July 31st, marking the hottest day of that year.
Similarly, 2022 brought intense heat, with July 19th recording 40.3 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, at Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
In contrast, the summer of 2023 was characterised by unusual weather patterns.
While the UK experienced the hottest June on record, with temperatures soaring early in the season, the high summer months of July and August were unexpectedly unsettled, featuring wet and windy conditions.
It wasn’t until September that the hottest day of 2023 occurred, marking an unusual pattern in the typical summer weather cycle.
The predicted heatwave on August 8th signals a return to the more traditional summers the UK has experienced in recent years.
To provide a broader context, here is how the UK’s forecasted temperature on August 8th compares to the typical high temperatures in other major European cities for the same time of year:
| City | Forecasted Temperature (°C) | City | Average Temperature (°C) |
| London | 35 | Paris | 25 |
| Manchester | 32 | Madrid | 31 |
| Birmingham | 34 | Istanbul | 29 |
| Edinburgh | 30 | Rome | 31 |
| Cardiff | 31 | Berlin | 24 |
It remains to be seen whether the UK heatwave will impact these temperatures in other European cities, but it is a good indicator of how hot it will be in this country.
Climate experts suggest that this year’s heat, although not record-breaking, is part of a broader trend of rising temperatures attributed to global climate change.
While the summer of 2024 may not shatter previous temperature records, AI suggests that August 8th could be a day of intense heat, reinforcing the unpredictable nature of the UK’s evolving climate.
