Britain enjoyed its warmest day of the year so far today with temperatures soared to 24C (75F) – beating the weather in many European holiday hotspots.
Sun-seekers headed to parks to make the most of the dry and bright weather especially in England which the Met Office said was closer to a typical day in July.
The highest temperature in the UK this afternoon was 24C (75.2F) at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, followed by 23C (73.4F) in Southampton and 22C (71.6F) in West London.
The Met Office said today was the warmest day since September 21, 2024 – although it was ‘distinctly chilly’ further north and east with highs of just 8C (46F) in Edinburgh.
Parts of the UK were warmer than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain and Mykonos in Greece, which were all 18C (64F), and even Los Angeles which will be 22C (72F).
But it came as firefighters continued to battle wildfires across Britain, with brigades issuing warnings to avoid barbecues and ensure litter is properly disposed of.
Before today, the UK’s highest temperature recorded so far in 2025 had been 21.3C (70.3F) on March 20 in both Northolt, West London , and Chertsey, Surrey.
Yesterday got close to breaking the record with 20.7C (69.3F) in Farnham, Surrey – although it was a day of contrasts as Kinbrace in the Highlands fell to -5.2C (22.6F).
Meanwhile eastern areas of England were cooler due to easterly winds over the North Sea – with the coast of Northumberland at 10C (50F) and Norfolk at 11C (52F).
Ammie Shipton, 24, enjoys the warm weather in St Anne’s on the Sea, Lancashire, today
Two women enjoy ice creams at St James’s Park in London today as temperatures soar
A woman runs in the sunshine at The Regent’s Park in London this afternoon
A dog drinks water during the warm temperatures at Green Park in London today
Wall-to-wall sunshine in the Met Office forecast for London with highs of 22C expected today
The Met Office said on social media that temperatures yesterday had been ‘nearer to what we’d expect in July in some inland and western areas, but conversely a chilly easterly breeze has kept many eastern coastal regions much colder’.
It comes after England saw its sunniest March on record and its sixth driest March since records began in 1836, according to the Met Office. Last month was also Wales’s second sunniest March on record and its fourth driest since 1836.
The average temperature for this time of year is around 12C (54F) in England and 10C (50F) in Scotland.
Met Office forecaster Dan Stroud said: ‘We’ve got an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales overnight [into this morning].
‘So that will bring some welcome rain for small parts of the country, but much of the country is looking at another fine and dry spring day [today] with a lot of warm sunshine on offer, although still holding on to those cool temperatures near the east coast.
‘But one thing we are expecting [today] is for temperatures to creep up into 23C or maybe the odd isolated 24C, so potentially the warmest day of the year so far.’
It comes as firefighters have been tackling major blazes in Scotland and Dorset.
A rower travels along the River Thames between Maidenhead and Bray in Berkshire today
A woman reads a book in the morning sunshine on the promenade in Dover, Kent, today
People at St James’s Park in London today as the UK is warmer than some European hotspots
A man enjoys the sun during the above-average temperatures at Green Park in London today
A rower travels along the River Thames between Maidenhead and Bray in Berkshire today
People at St James’s Park in London today as the UK is warmer than some European hotspots
A man enjoys the sun during the above-average temperatures at Green Park in London today
People at St James’s Park in London today as the UK is warmer than some European hotspots
Mr Stroud said wildfires have hit the country after a dry period in March.
In Scotland, crews have been fighting a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling.
The alarm was raised around noon on Wednesday and four fire engines remained at the scene yesterday morning.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said the blaze stretched 0.5km (0.3 miles).
It added that a ‘very high to extreme’ risk of wildfire remains across the country until Monday and urged the public not to light fires outdoors.
Crews have already extinguished a wildfire near Bonhill in West Dunbartonshire and another in the Kilpatrick Hills near Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, earlier this week.
Moors Valley Country Park on the Dorset-Hampshire border will remain closed after being hit by multiple wildfires since Monday.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said crews were called to the park again on Wednesday after more hotspots were discovered during a reinspection near Ringwood.
Fire crews were called to a blaze at Canford Heath in Dorset at around 5.30am yesterday
Met Office data showed England had its sixth driest March since records began in 1836
England saw its sunniest March on record last month, according to the Met Office
Several hectares of woodland have been destroyed. No injuries have been reported.
Firefighters also responded to two more major wildfires in Dorset.
The first broke out at Upton Heath, near Poole, just before 11.45pm on Wednesday, spreading across more than 37 acres.
Crews were then called to a blaze at nearby Canford Heath at around 5.30am yesterday, which covered six acres.
DWFRS said both fires had been brought under control by 7am, with crews continuing to damp down hotspots.
London Fire Brigade urged people in the capital to take precautions against wildfires.
Assistant Commissioner Paul McCourt said: ‘We would urge Londoners not to have barbecues in open spaces or on balconies, including disposable barbecues, to throw rubbish away, and to dispose of cigarettes carefully to avoid inadvertently starting a fire.’
The last time London was hit by wildfires was in the 2022 heatwave, when UK temperatures soared above 40C (104F) for the first time.