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- Hot spell - August 2003
Hot spell - August 2003
Maximum temperatures
The UK record of 37.1 °C at Cheltenham on 3 August 1990 was beaten by a number of stations on 10 August 2003, with Brogdale, near Faversham (Kent) reporting the highest at 38.5 °C.
Table of highest maximum temperatures - 5 August 2003
| Station name | Maximum temperature (°C) | Extra information |
|---|---|---|
| Jersey Airport | 34.8 | New station record beating the previous high of 34.5 °C on 3 August 1990, using digital data records back to 1957. |
| Jersey St Helier | 34.2 | Station record was broken on 9 August 2003, see table below. |
| Wisley (Surrey) | 33.9 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Guernsey Airport | 33.7 | New station record beating the previous high of 32.8 °C on 3 August 1990, using digitised data records back to 1960. This value was then exceeded on 9 August 2003, when 34.3 °C was recorded. |
| Valley (Anglesey) | 33.0 | New station record beating the previous high of 32.8 °C on 29 July 1948, using digitised data records back to 1931. |
Guernsey Airport had a night-time minimum temperature of 23.7 °C on 4/5 August 2003, its highest on record. Previous highest night-time (12-hour) minimum was 22.9 °C on 2/3 August 1990 (using digitised data records back to 1960).
St. Mawgan (Cornwall), had a night-time minimum temperature of 23.1 °C on 4/5 August 2003, its highest on record. Previous highest night-time (12-hour) minimum was 20.4 °C on 28/29 July 1976 (using digitised data records back to 1957).
Map of highest maximum temperatures - 6 August 2003
Table of highest maximum temperatures - 6 August 2003
| Station name | Maximum temperature (°C) | Extra information |
|---|---|---|
| Gravesend-Broadness (Kent) | 36.4 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Greenwich Observatory (London) | 36.3 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Wisley (Surrey) | 36.1 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Kew Royal Botanic Gardens (London) | 36.1 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Cambridge Guildhall (Cambridgeshire) | 36.0 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
Map of highest maximum temperatures - 9 August 2003
Table of highest maximum temperatures - 9 August 2003
| Station name | Maximum temperature (°C) | Extra information |
|---|---|---|
| Enfield (London) | 36.4 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Kew Royal Botanic Gardens (London) | 36.0 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Jersey St Helier | 36.0 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.4 °C on 3 August 1990, using digitised data records back to 1970. Also the highest known value for any of the Channel Island stations, beating previous highest of 35.6 °C set on Jersey in 1932. |
| Greenwich Observatory (London) | 36.0 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
| Met Office London | 36.0 | Station record was broken on 10 August 2003, see table below. |
Greycrook (Scottish Borders) reported a maximum temperature of 32.9 °C on 9 August 2003, beating the previous Scottish record of 32.8 °C at Dumfries (Dumfries and Galloway) on 2 July 1908 and on several occasions at other places in the 19th century.
Map of highest maximum temperatures - 10 August 2003
Table of highest maximum temperatures - 10 August 2003
| Station name | Maximum temperature (°C) | Extra information |
|---|---|---|
| Brogdale near Faversham (Kent) | 38.5 | New UK maximum temperature record. |
| Kew Royal Botanic Gardens (London) | 38.1 | New station record beating the previous high of 36.2 °C on 3 August 1990, digital data records back to 1981. |
| Gravesend-Broadness (Kent) | 38.1 | New station record, but data records only back to 1995. |
| Heathrow (London) | 37.9 | New station record beating the previous high of 36.5 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1949. |
| Wisley (Surrey) | 37.8 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.4 °C on 3 August 1990, digital data records back to 1959. |
| Enfield (London) | 37.8 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.7 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1960s (data records only patchy). |
| Northolt (London) | 37.7 | New station record beating the previous high of 36.3 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1984. |
| Met Office London | 37.6 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.0 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1974. |
| St. James's Park (London) | 37.6 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.3 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1959. |
| Cambridge Guildhall (Cambridgeshire) | 37.5 | New station record, but data records only back to 1997. |
| Greenwich Observatory (London) | 37.5 | New station record beating the previous high of 34.7 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1959. |
| East Malling (Kent) | 37.4 | New station record beating the previous high of 34.6 °C on 3/8/1990, digitised data records back to 1959. |
| Cavendish (Suffolk) | 37.3 | New station record beating the previous high of 35.2 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1977. |
| Northwood (London) | 37.0 | New station record beating the previous high of 34.6 °C on 3 August 1990, digitised data records back to 1959. |
Met Office London had a night-time minimum temperature of 23.7 °C on 9/10 August 2003, its highest night-time (12-hour) minimum was 24.0 °C on 3/4 August 1990 (using digitised data records back to 1974).
Highest temperatures during 2003
Brogdale near Faversham (Kent) recorded England's highest temperature with 38.5 °C on 10 August 2003 (beats the previous highest value anywhere in UK).
Valley recorded the Welsh highest temperature, with 33.0 °C on 5 August 2003, which beat its previous highest of 32.8 °C on 29 July 1948 (data records back to 1931).
Greycrook (Scottish borders) recorded Scotland's highest temperature with 32.9 °C on 9 August 2003 (beats the old Scottish record below).
Castlederg (Co. Fermanagh) recorded Northern Ireland's highest temperature with 29.3 °C on 8 August 2003.
Maximum temperature extremes
Previous highest England recorded temperature, 37.1 °C at Cheltenham (Gloucestershire) on 3 August 1990 (the highest official temperature recorded anywhere in the UK).
Highest Wales recorded temperature, 35.2 °C at Hawarden Bridge (Clwyd) on 2 August 1990.
Previous highest Scotland recorded temperature, 32.8 °C at Dumfries (Dumfries and Galloway) on 2 July 1908 and on several occasions at other places in the 19th century.
Highest Northern Ireland recorded temperature, 30.8 °C at Knockarevan (near Belleek, Co. Fermanagh) on 30 June 1976, and at Shaw's Bridge, Belfast (Co. Antrim) on 12 July 1983.
Hot spells, with consecutive maximum temperatures over 30 °C
During the long hot summer of 1976, temperatures exceeded 32 °C (90 °F), somewhere in the UK, on 15 consecutive days starting on 23 June. In 2003, 32 °C was exceeded on three consecutive days between 4 and 6 August and then on five consecutive days between 8 and 12 August, somewhere in the UK (temperatures failed to reach 32 °C at any of the real-time stations on 7 August).
During the summer of 1976, Heathrow had 16 consecutive days over 30 °C from 23 June to 8 July (its highest number of consecutive days above 30 °C). In 2003, Heathrow managed three consecutive days above 30 °C between 4 and 6 August 2003, and five consecutive days between 8 and 12 August 2003.
During the summer of 1976, Enfield had six consecutive days over 30 °C from 23 to 28 June, and seven consecutive days between 2 and 8 July. In 2003, Enfield had ten consecutive maximum temperatures over 30 °C from 3 to 12 August 2003 (their highest number of consecutive days above 30 °C, using patchy digitised records back to 1960s).
During the summer of 1976, Wisley had six consecutive days over 30 °C from 23 to 28 June, and eight consecutive days between 1 and 8 July. In 2003, Wisley had ten consecutive maximum temperatures over 30 °C from 3 to 12 August 2003 (their highest number of consecutive days above 30 °C, using digitised records back to 1959).
During the summer of 1976, St. James's Park had six consecutive days over 30 °C from 23 June to 28 June, and seven consecutive days between 2 and 8 July. In 2003, St. James's Park had nine consecutive maximum temperatures over 30 °C from 4 to 12 August 2003 (their highest number of consecutive days above 30 °C, using digitised records back to 1959).
During the summer of 1976, East Malling had six consecutive days over 30 °C from 23 June to 28 June. In 2003, East Malling had nine consecutive maximum temperatures over 30 °C from 4 to 12 August 2003 (their highest number of consecutive days above 30 °C, using digitised records back to 1959).
