Around here there has been a tendency for the temperature to yo-yo slightly in the afternoons, usually with varying wind directions. It most likely reflects both the regional and local topography, such as hills and valleys, and local environment, such as woodlands, ponds etc.

Regarding the maximums shown by ogimet, I've seen some of them not be included in the official maximums from the Met Office, such as a couple of days ago when Boscombe Down showed 28.7°C on ogimet but the highest reading in the SW that day was reported by the Met Office as being 28.4°C at Hurn.

So all is not always what it seems

Lots of cumulus wandering around may account for the temp. variations. My thermo has varied a lot with the loss of sun at times. 

Reached 30.7'C here around 1500z - Probably the highest since 2006

24 here today with a pleasant sea breeze. Yesterday's sea breeze was chilly if I'm being picky, had a hoody on at 8pm . Today though has a warmer feel to it. The local sea surface temp is closing in on 20degrees. Remarkable as it was only 6degrees at the end of March. Reading the reported night time 'minimums' around the country, it has been nothing like that here. I guess the seabreezes take the edge off it enough.

Looking forward to the heat continuing, wouldn't mind the GFS progged thundery activity for next week either ....

This BBC Article claims Northolt has reached 32C today. Of course, this could be rounded up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23341504

Highest i recorded today was 32.1c in Watford also just had a crack of thunder. A storm is brewing...

This is interesting - just looking at a comparision to the July 2006 with the current one, my nearest Met site is Manchester Airport, shame there isn't one closer as our temperatures can differ wildly, but anway they recorded 21 consecutive days at or above 20C during July 2006.

That might be beaten this time. 14 days and counting at the moment at the airport. This is turning out to be a phenomenal hot spell, but not as epic as late July 1995/August 1995 when 33 consecutive days were recorded but who knows about this August.

Hi Rob, maybe I have not explained myself very well. The point I was trying to put over was that of personal preference, when comfort was the all important factor. The present weather takes me out of the comfort zone, maybe my age has something to do with it, but I doubt it because I was of the same mindset in 1976. To go out in -10°c I agree is interesting, but with the knowledge that as soon as you have had enough, you can go back indoors and warm up. This is totally different from the present situation from which there is no escape unless aircon is available.

With temperatures exceeding 30°c in four out of the last five days here, and an indoor minimum temperature of 27.1°c, I feel I have had enough, never mind how much longer it will continue, and the likelyhood it will get even hotter.

I, like most, enjoy variety and extremes, but the present conditions have now become boring (apart from the scantily clad girls) so its time for a change. Lets have some wind, rain, fog, snow (some hope) anything for a change. Not many agree with me it seems.

That's where I disagree. I want it as hot as it can be in summer and as cold as it can be in winter. Proper seasonal variations.

BTW a very quick way to cool off when no aircon is available is to run cold water over the inside of your wrists (where the veins are). Cools the blood down effectively - try it!

Agreed , seasons should be seasons, even if this is too hot for me, it certainly is dry enough

This week has been warm but not as hot as last week. The issue I have in the evenings at the moment here in Stoke is that the wind has picked up every evening which cools things off nicely for sleeping (nearly) but has the problem of making it feel that little bit cooler in the garden for sitting out in.

There has also been a haze or clouds both days supressing temps...some 5C down on Birmingham for example. Anyone able to explain what is causing this?

Max at Northolt was 32.0C on the nose:

http://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=03672&decoded=yes&ndays=2&ano=2013&mes=07&day=17&hora=18

Heathrow 31.9C: 

http://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=03772&decoded=yes&ndays=2&ano=2013&mes=07&day=17&hora=18

Probably from Stafford southward is where you hit the most potent heat, so you're lucky to have been just on the southern edge of the cooler stuff.....where you are and northwards to here have been one of the "cooler" places in this spell, places right up to North Yorkshire and notably east of the Pennines have been around 29C on a number of occasions, we've only just scraped 27C here once. I think that will change though before this spell is over! infact tomorrow might be our hottest day so far here.

I'm sure the GFS temps showed the cooler air further north but I guess not. Even now the wind has been strong enough to blow a second table umbrella flying into the garden narrowly avoiding me. I guess people aren't expecting the breeze. COuld do with some more sticky nights to enjoy the garden without the breeze.

What have temps been like in Manchester this past couple of days? Not seen much reference to them.

Yet another max of 29c here in bournemouth

Just a few miles into dorset wareham has recorde its 5th consecutive day of 31c+

If this continues for the rest of the month we will get v close to july 2006,in terms

of mean temperature exceeding 20c,in this part of the uk for july.

Been mostly mid 20's for the airport I believe with one day @ almost 28 and a couple of days in the lower 20's, very warm but not to the extent of elsewhere.

Quite a bit of high cloud around now, but when it was sunny we got up to 28.6 °C here. This was therefore the second warmest day of the spell, just beating (by one-tenth!) Monday's mark. Saturday's 30.0 °C dead remains the max, though that might come under threat next week by the looks of some of the models...

Tomorrow could be he day - hottest day of the year possibly.

quite agree with you dougie . grafting in this heat is truly tiring. roll on the wind and rain. actually as a matter of interest how many of you that claim to love the heat do physical work outside all day?

Very few people do physical work these days, a symptom of our rubbish economy.

That said, I do commute to work by bike a decent distance so I do work up an honest sweat every day in this weather. TBH I would rather be working outside in the heat than in this fridge-like office. I've been cracking through the gardening at the weekends - the hotter the better. What puts me off getting out to do physical work is when it is cold, wet or windy. You can always cool off, but warming up is often harder, I find.