Wales could be about the experience the first official heatwave of the year if temperatures continue
The hottest part of Wales today will be Monmouth, which is expected to reach 26C between 3-4pm(Image: Met Office)
The UK could be about to experience the first official heatwave of 2025 as the unusual surge in temperatures are continue to climb in a number of areas around the UK according to the Met Office.
The hottest part of Wales today will be Monmouth, which is expected to reach 26C between 3-4pm, with surrounding areas feeling the heat such as Chepstow, Newport and Abergavenny, which could see temperatures of 25C at the same time.
The warm conditions will mean that parts of Wales and England will be hotter than some parts of Africa today, on Wednesday, April 30, with places like Mbabane, Ifrane, Fes, Kigali all expected to be below 23C. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
The warm conditions come after what was the “warmest day of the year so far” in Wales on Tuesday, April 29.
Welsh Meteorologist and BBC Weather Presenter Chris Page said: “Warmest day of the year so far in Wales today!
“24C in Cardiff & Trawsgoed. Even warmer tomorrow.
“26C in Monmouth and Chepstow, possibly 27C. The April record set in 2003 could be broken!
“Scattered thundery showers on Thursday afternoon then cooler on Friday and over the weekend.”
The picture is similar in England, with London expected to reach 26° at around 4pm, alongside Yeovil, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Gillingham, Wells and Devizes – and many surrounding areas reaching similar temperatures of 25°.
The hot spell has been brought on by a high-pressure system drifting north from continental Europe according to forecasters, marking one of the hottest late-April periods the UK has ever seen.
At least 12 counties including Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, and parts of Yorkshire, are also expecting temperatures between 27C and 29C from Wednesday to Friday.
If the conditions continue for three consecutive days with temperatures at 25Cor above, this would mean that we have reached the heatwave threshold, meaning it could become the earliest recorded heatwave in over a decade in the UK.
The UK’s highest April temperature on record was 29.4C at Camden Square in London on April 16, 1949.
And the highest recorded temperature remains 32.8C for May which was also in Camden Square, on May 22, 1922.
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