Thursday July 25th 2019

Image - www.torro.org.uk

It's hot today - broken records in fact. 38.1 is the maximum today in Cambridge. The media are excited. However there is a very good website which puts this in context - recording the hottest day on record for a specific date. 

32.2oC is recorded as the coldest 'hot' day in July ( Bridgwater 9th July 1932) and until today, the hottest July day ever was 36.7oC Heathrow July 1st 2015. But July is always the hottest month in the year. So here is a brief summary of July

4 of the hottest days on a certain date have been since 2000. 

8 of the hottest dates between 1950-2000

23 between 1900-1950 

4 in the 19th Century. 

What is rarely discussed is as the land dries out (farming and urbanization) there are less absorption aspects to the landmass (fewer trees, wetlands and so on to capture heat) so a lot of solar radiation heat remains in buildings and built up areas over night adding to the mix). The air above London can be 5 degrees warmer than Kent for example in heatwave conditions like this. Which is why Heathrow is often the warmest place - miles of tarmac and proximity to London and the South East which has a more Continental climate than the rest of the UK.

Interesting maybe (but I'm too hot to think or write anymore)