Reading records second hottest day in 118 years

The University of Reading’s Atmospheric Observatory has recorded the second hottest day in its 118-year history, as temperatures in Reading soared to 36.9°C on Thursday 13 August.

The figure makes it the hottest August day ever recorded in Reading, and the second highest temperature measured at the observatory in records dating back to 1908. 

Only one day has been hotter in the University's records, when temperatures reached 37.6°C on 19 July 2022. The previous hottest August day, 36.4°C on 10 August 2003, was surpassed during the afternoon on Thursday, before the mercury climbed still higher. 

Dr Rob Thompson, meteorologist at the University of Reading, said: "This latest heatwave is being driven by a stubborn area of high pressure over western Europe that once again is acting like a lid on the atmosphere.

"As air slowly sinks beneath the high-pressure system it compresses and warms, while at the same time drawing exceptionally warm air northwards from southern Europe and North Africa.

"The result is a prolonged spell of intense sunshine, very light winds and little cloud cover, allowing temperatures to build day after day. Due to the lack of rain in recent months, the ground is already very dry, meaning that more of the Sun's energy goes directly into heating the earth and air rather than evaporating moisture from soils and vegetation, which can push temperatures even higher.

Dr Akshay Deoras, climate scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology, said: "This is yet another example of temperature records not simply being broken by a small margin, but being absolutely smashed. Natural weather patterns, such as heat domes, are actively working in tandem with the background anthropogenic warming caused mostly by burning fossil fuels, pushing temperatures to increasingly extreme levels.

"The timing of this record could hardly be worse, coming after Reading experienced its hottest, sunniest and driest July on record, with barely any rainfall in over a month now. The current heatwave will put further pressure on already dry land-surface conditions, intensifying the drought and increasing the strain on water resources."

The milestone comes during the UK's fifth heatwave of 2026, following a summer that has already rewritten records. Earlier this year, the University recorded its hottest June on record, while Reading has already experienced an unprecedented number of days above 30°C, experiencing periods of extreme heat in May, June, July and August.