Met Office confirms UK had hottest day of year so far with 24C scorcher

Temperatures hit 24C in parts of the UK
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Saturday was the UK’s hottest day of the year, the Met Office has confirmed.

Temperatures reached as high as 24.3C in Bramham, West Yorkshire, the forecaster said. The warm bank holiday is expected to continue into Sunday (28 May), although it is not predicted to be quite as warm.

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Temperatures are expected to reach up to 23C in Plymouth. Heading north it will be increasingly cooler, with larger spells of cloud than the day before.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said the UK is seeing “hints of summer”. "For a bank holiday weekend it’s pretty rare to be that dry and sunny, I guess, so we’re not doing too bad,” he said.

Meanwhile, travel experts are warning of busy roads over the bank holiday break. RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “We fully expect families to make the most of the largely fine weather over the coming days which is we’re forecasting the busiest late May bank holiday since before the pandemic.

“Into next week and half term for many parts of the UK, day trips will also be a big feature with popular routes to the coasts and countryside becoming busy. Getting away early in the morning or delaying trips until the evening are the best way to avoid the inevitable delays.

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“No-one wants a breakdown to get in the way of them and time with family and friends, yet so many of the jobs our patrols will go out to are completely avoidable if drivers complete a few checks before they get out on to the open road. Ensuring oil and coolant levels are where they should be is a must, as is checking tyres are free of damage and are properly inflated.”

Take care when swimming

People are being advised to take care if they plan to cool off by swimming in rivers or lakes. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said hazards include strong currents, water quality, uneven riverbanks and tomb-stoning without knowing the water depth or location of underwater objects

A spokesman said: “The idea of swimming in a river or lake will be appealing to many people during this current spell of warm weather. Around 85% of accidental drownings occur at open water sites, and many of these drownings occur due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the hazards posed by open water.

“Whilst the benefits of open water swimming are well documented, we feel it’s important to remind potential swimmers of the hazards posed by swimming in open water."

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