Would love to have a kit like that. 

Another thing , I wonder is there a 'lag effect' on the temperature an official (or not) thermometer might be showing at any particular point in time? For example, did that 38.7c yesterday occur at an earlier time than at the precise point the thermo showed, given that it would just a wee while for the physical object take on the same temp as the air?  In the same way, does the actual air cool down before the thermometer can get a chance to register it, for the same reasons above? 

I think that's a fair comment and the constant hunger for instant gratification probably plays a role.

Sure there are probably grounds to criticise the MetO about its network (compared to other countries) and the confusing information on twitter etc. but don't people know that there are still stations where the max of the previous day is recorded at 09z on the following day?

If you show me a clear, easy to navigate web page, with all the official Met Office sites, hourly readings, and all the historical extremes of the individual stations, with averages, then I will take my comment back.

Currently I don’t find it easy to gather climatic information for an official site close to my own back yard - by all means point me in the right direction as I’m genuinely interested. 

I don’t think the negative comments are all to do with timing, they’re as much to do with inconsistencies.  The Met office seem to have various outlets with conflicting information.  It wasn’t just a case of reporting final readings either.  The forecasts on different media platforms were/are inconsistent too. 

Yes, all to do with our ‘now, now’ expectations which unfortunately means things are done in haste and that’s when mistakes are made.  It is no doubt due to different departments within the Met office being responsible for different media outlets, attempting to quench our thirst for the ‘now, now’.  But you would at least think they’d be accessing the same data and be subject to the same scrutiny.  

Long list of European records for Thursday at the end of this article

https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Full-Scoop-Europes-Historic-Onslaught-Heat?cm_ven=cat6-widget

If the record is confirmed that's the Summer and winter temp records in the same year a first i would have thought. 

Extraordinary list, records absolutely smashed.

I agree actually and that's why I said it's fair to criticise the Met Office. What I criticised from my part is the 'I want my record and I want it now' culture.

True, but there does seem a be a certain substandard going on with the UK Met Office and the availability of data for some reason when compared to other European Met agencies. 

It's also quoting the Cambridge University Botanical Gardens figure of 38.7C as a new national record. So does that mean it's likely to become official next week?

Agreed. 

Forgive my ignorance, but what winter temp record went here?

21.2°C in Kew Gardens towards the end of February I believe?

The warmest ever winter temperature 21.2c at Kew gardens 26th February

I have read a number of reports on this matter and they all seem to say that whilst this is still being verified there doesn't appear to be any major concerns with the site so in due course it is expected that it will be confirmed as a new UK record.

My guess is that the all-time record will go, and that the reading of 38.7°C as recorded at the botanic gardens in Cambridge will be regarded as valid. My reasoning for this is based on a comparison between Cambridge and Edinburgh (yes, just like Cambridge, Edinburgh also has what is known as Edinburgh University although this isn't quite as famous as what the ones down in Cambridge and Oxford) where the weather station where the new July record of 38.1°C could be viewed as Cambridge's equivalent to Edinburgh Gogarbank which is one of my three local stations here in Edinburgh.

Back in 2017, the botanic gardens in Edinburgh (which is another one of my three local stations here in Edinburgh) became an important focal point as it was the readings from there which confirmed that June 2017 was our wettest June on record here in Edinburgh. Now, I know that I am talking about rainfall records here rather than a temperature record. However, the fact of the matter is that we are talking about a record being broken in both cases.

This means that in order for that record here in Edinburgh to have stood as a valid record, it would surely have needed to have been officially vetted and validated by the Met Office in order for that to happen. The fact that this record now officially stands means that this therefore had to be officially passed by the Met Office in my books.

I've never actually visited the botanic gardens in Cambridge before, but my guess is that the weather station there is probably similar in nature to the one at the botanic gardens in Edinburgh which I have visited on numerous occasions. This means that since there was a recent valid recent record set at the botanic gardens in Edinburgh within the last few years, there should be no reason why the same thing can't happen at the botanic gardens in Cambridge so that to me, this all time temperature record is one which should really be standing as far as I'm concerned. This therefore makes it a real surprise to me that this is taking such a long time to be sorted out.

Having said that that though, I could also equally be wrong with what I have said here, although I'm sure that at least one member of this forum will very quickly let me know if I am.

• Hoping be patient folks


• Current issues




• There is a known issue with the sunlight and rain sensors sometimes over-reporting readings. We are investigating how best to fix this and we should be able to correct archived records once the problem is resolved.

However T sensor corrected in 2004 approx

• Although the temperature sensor is surrounded by a white box, it is affected by the presence of direct sunlight. You should be aware that it can overestimate the temperature on very sunny days. However, the move to the William Gates Building has resulted in a site with much better shade, and so we hope this will no longer be significant.


• as long as that is within the the allowed limits it will stand

Very good documentation from them on past errors.

No manual input entered as yet

T goes FSD lets hope for check pass from met and inspection audit

ps wont let me post T Chart goes FSD at >35C @ approx 13.30 returns 16.00

Ps @Brian I know what ext links mean now best to be safe nice one

I thought we had done this yesterday.

It depends if compliance obligations  have been meet simple as, nothing to do with anything else.

My guess is that the all-time record wil

l go, and that the reading of 38.7°C as recorded at the botanic gardens in Cambridge will be regarded as valid. My reasoning for this is based on a comparison between Cambridge and Edinburgh (yes, just like Cambridge, Edinburgh also has what is known as Edinburgh University although this isn't quite as famous as what the ones down in Cambridge and Oxford) where the weather station where the new July record of 38.1°C could be viewed as Cambridge's equivalent to Edinburgh Gogarbank which is one of my three local stations here in Edinburgh.

Back in 2017, the botanic gardens in Edinburgh (which is another one of my three local stations here in Edinburgh) became an important focal point as it was the readings from there which confirmed that June 2017 was our wettest June on record here in Edinburgh. Now, I know that I am talking about rainfall records here rather than a temperature record. However, the fact of the matter is that we are talking about a record being broken in both cases.

This means that in order for that record here in Edinburgh to have stood as a valid record, it would surely have needed to have been officially vetted and validated by the Met Office in order for that to happen. The fact that this record now officially stands means that this therefore had to be officially passed by the Met Office in my books.

I've never actually visited the botanic gardens in Cambridge before, but my guess is that the weather station there is probably similar in nature to the one at the botanic gardens in Edinburgh which I have visited on numerous occasions. This means that since there was a recent valid recent record set at the botanic gardens in Edinburgh within the last few years, there should be no reason why the same thing can't happen at the botanic gardens in Cambridge so that to me, this all time temperature record is one which should really be standing as far as I'm concerned. This therefore makes it a real surprise to me that this is taking such a long time to be sorted out.

Having said that that though, I could also equally be wrong with what I have said here, although I'm sure that at least one member of this forum will very quickly let me know if I am.