Wales and Northern Ireland have recorded their warmest August bank holiday Monday temperatures on record. The milestone comes as Hurricane Erin's remnants bring exceptional heat before a dramatic shift to wet and windy conditions from Tuesday.
Wales smashed its previous record with temperatures reaching 28.1C (82.5F) at Gogerddan, beating the 26.5C (79.7F) set in Crossway, Gwent, in 1991. Northern Ireland also broke its record with 24.5C (76.1F) recorded in Magilligan, Derry/Londonderry, surpassing the previous 23.8C (74.8F) at Banagher in 1983.
England and Scotland did not break any records on Monday. England's August bank holiday record remains 33.2C (91.7F) from Heathrow Airport and Cambridge Botanic Garden in 2019, while Scotland's highest stands at 25.6C (78F) from Kelso, Roxburghshire, in 1984.
Hurricane Erin brings dramatic change
The warm conditions stem from Hurricane Erin's remnants, which previously battered the US east coast. According to reports, the hurricane rapidly intensified from category 1 to category 5 in just 24 hours before weakening as it approached European waters.
Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said: "On Monday it will be a very warm and sunny picture for most. It will start to go downhill and rain will start to move in for Northern Ireland into the afternoon."
Temperatures across the UK reached 27-30C in various regions, making Britain warmer than popular holiday destinations like Barcelona and Tenerife. Good Morning Britain reportedly interrupted regular programming to announce the potential record-breaking temperatures.
Wet weather ahead
From Tuesday onwards, spells of rain will move across all parts of the country, with the wettest conditions in the west. Snell said the rain "will be heavy at times in the west, but at the moment we're not expecting too many impacts, and it may, for farmers or anyone who needs the rain, be welcome."
Wednesday will see a band of rain move across the entire country. Low pressure will remain until the weekend with further spells of rain expected throughout the week.
The Daily Record reports a 590-mile wall of rain is forecast for Friday, with rainfall potentially exceeding 10mm per hour in Scotland. Beach safety warnings have been issued for western coasts due to large waves from Hurricane Erin's remnants.
Sources used: "Sky News", "Daily Record", "WalesOnline", "Mirror", "Independent", "Chronicle Live", "Birmingham Mail", "Nottingham Post", "Liverpool Echo", "Manchester Evening News"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
