Weather: Temperatures above 30C for five consecutive days in September in new UK record

The UK has recorded temperatures above 30C for five consecutive days – the first time this has ever happened in September, the Met Office has said.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, it said: “Today’s provisional highest temperature was 30.9C at Cavendish, in Suffolk.

“This marks the fifth consecutive day when temperatures have exceeded 30C and is the first time this has ever happened in September in our records.”

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It is thought the high temperatures could continue into the weekend – Sky News weather producer Steff Gaulter said there is a “good chance” Saturday will be the new hottest day of the year, with temperatures expected to climb to 33C.

The mercury hit a balmy 32.6C (90.7F) in Wisley, Surrey on Thursday, making it the hottest day of the year so far – topping the previous day’s high of 32C (89.6F) at Kew Gardens.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat health alert across England until 9pm on Sunday – apart from in the North East, which is under a lower yellow alert.

The weather has been warm enough to be classed as a heatwave in some parts of England and Wales, which have had three consecutive days at or above their threshold temperatures.

The hot weather follows a cool and wet summer for much of the UK.

The Met Office’s Neil Armstrong said: “An active tropical cyclone season in the North Atlantic has helped to amplify the pattern across the North Atlantic, pushing the jet stream well to the north of the UK, allowing some very warm air to be drawn north.

“It’s a marked contrast to much of meteorological summer, when the UK was on the northern side of the jet stream with cooler air and more unsettled weather.”