Bristol record temperature: what is hottest weather ever recorded in city - how does it compare to UK record?

Bristolians will currently be basking in the sweltering levels of heat and sunshine hitting the region, as temperatures hit highs of around 36℃.

This is due to the ongoing piping-hot heatwave that first hit the United Kingdom on Thursday, 7 July.

It has led to a first ever red weather warning for extreme heat issued by the Met Office, as well as the preceding amber alert which covers Bristol.

As people of the city and South West of England have been doing all they can to cool themselves down and beat the heat, they must think that this has to be the hottest day on record in Bristol.

BristolWorld has compiled all the information you need to know in regards to what is the highest temperature ever recorded in the city, as well as the hottest day in the UK.

What is a heatwave?

The word ‘heatwave’ is thrown around regularly when it concerns weather forecasts across the globe - but what is a heatwave?

According to the Met Office, a heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of the year.

In the United Kingdom, this is the criteria the weather must meet to be considered a heatwave:

• When a location records three consecutive days with a maximum temperature that exceeds the threshold (this varies depending on the county)

For example, Bristol and the surrounding South West of England region has a threshold of 26℃.

What does an amber weather warning for extreme heat mean?

Weather organisations such as the Met Office had warned Bristolians of the exceptionally high temperatures that are likely during the alert, with the possibility that it could lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure.

The Met Office has issued the following list of what to expect during the amber weather warning for extreme heat in Bristol:

• Population-wide adverse health effects are likely to be experienced, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat
• Substantial changes in working practices and daily routines to be required
• Significantly more people likely to visit coastal areas, lakes and rivers leading to increased risk of water safety incidents
• Delays on road and road closures are possible, along with delays and cancellations to rail and air travel, with potential for significant welfare issues for those who experience even moderate delays

What is the hottest temperature ever recorded in Bristol?

According to experts at both the Met Office and Weather Underground, the hottest single temperature recorded in Bristol was during the ongoing UK heatwave in July 2022.

A scorching 35.3℃ was felt by the city in the afternoon of Tuesday, 19 July 2022.

It was felt at approximately 1:57 pm in the South Gloucestershire region.

The previous record was recorded on 19 July 2006, with temperatures in Filton reaching 34.7℃.

What is the hottest day on record in the UK?

The chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Paul Gunderson, made the following prediction on Friday, 15 July that record temperatures will be met in the ongoing July 2022 heatwave: “Exceptional, perhaps record-breaking temperatures are likely early next week”

A prediction that has been met, with the heatwave continuing to demolish long-standing weather records in the United Kingdom.

As per data from the weather organisation, the UK recorded its first ever temperature to exceed 40℃ on Tuesday 19 July 2022.

Thermometers at London Heathrow Airport read a record-breaking 40.2℃ at 12:50 pm in the afternoon.

It broke a record set by Charlwood in Surrey earlier that day as 39.1℃ was recorded.

The previous high in the country - which was 38.7℃ - was set in 2019.