Despite early morning cloud @ 14:08 we still sneaked a cheeky 8.1.

All season we have been struggling to even reach the 7 and only breached a few times... That was until a few days ago and then we've been into the 8's.

Starting to wonder if they have their detected a wipe lol, but seriously I often noticed the highest figures are reached when winds are originating towards the SW quarter.. often during breezy sometimes showery days.

I wonder if it's to do with atmospheric pollutants? Atlantic sourced air being cleaner? 

7.8 in Reading.

7.4 in Reading today. The south is forecast a week of 7s and 8s now.

I take no notice of the mets automated UV... we've been forecasted 8's for past 2 days but only managed 7.. Yet we had a few days of mid to high 8's recently whilst only being forecasted 7's on all but one of those days.

7.0 today.

Reading had an amazing triple peak, all at 6.7, the earliest before 11am, the latest at 3pm.

UV8 forecast here for 4 of the next 5 days.

Forecast for 1PM tomorrow from the Met Office's map. I don't think I've seen this forecast in the UK before!

Shows up here too:

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast/gbvq33pyx#?date=2017-06-18

8s as far north as Durham today and tomorrow. Take care out there folks, don't get zapped!

No- despite the June 2000 event, I've never seen a 9 actually forecast in this country (June 2000 forecast a 7). Amazing.

which I find quite surprising to be honest when very high 8's are possible here on the Solent. Surely if high 8's are possible here then further south towards Cornwall, and the Channel Islands a 9 should be possible?

Also worth worth remembering these met UV forecasts are automated and change every couple of hours... and often incorrect ;)

I agree Pictures; I think it's to do with meteorological protocols. Unless it's agreed by a group or panel, they can't change what they've made bold public statements about. A bit like the BMA approval required for a new medical technique. Interestingly, the new UK range can no longer be held at 1-8 if there's a 9 forecast. Perhaps it should say 'usual UK range'.

Anyway- 7 by 1200 in Reading so 8 expected surely today there.

Perhaps also down to the actual UV recoding stations the metoffice have, how long they have been recording for, and the locations? From your link on the first page it would seem the metoffice have had a very limited network historically for recording UK UV levels. Now couple this with increasing use of satalite data that can give more accurate recordings of low ozone, and other parameters for ground level UV, as well as the ever increasing number of 'Amature' stations.. perhaps this is why we are seeing the slow change in attitude from the metoffice on towards the UK UV index over the past two summers.

Amazing uv at my Davis VP2 weather station today. Hovering about 8  to 8.4. in a gin clear sky.

Very close in the end, by the looks of it!

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/uv-index-graphs

8.1 in Reading; I must say the 9 for Belfast is... interesting.

Still there this morning - in fact, there are more 9s on the map now!

I think I can make out 10 locations forecasting a 9 in your map, Darren. Is the ozone gone, do you think?

In fact, I've just selected the BBC forecast for Falmouth. It has all the visual irony of the kingfisher on the 'no fishing' sign: it says 'UV9' and immediately underneath 'UK range 1-8'.