Heatwave: Temperatures soar as Wales basks in hottest day of 2021

The area around Aberystwyth was the hottest place in Wales on Thursday

Wales recorded its hottest day of the year so far on the final day of the four-day extreme heat warning that has been in force across the southern UK.

The mercury peaked at 31.2C (88.1F) at Gogerddan, near Aberystwyth on Thursday - beating the 30.9C (88F) in Usk on Tuesday and Cardiff on Monday.

The Met Office said Thursday's hottest place in the UK was 31.4C (88.5F) at Armagh town in Northern Ireland.

Rain and thunderstorms will replace the heatwave in most of Wales this weekend.

Forecasters predicted "heavy, thundery showers" as likely from early on Saturday morning through to late on Sunday night, which could be "torrential".

It is a change from the heatwave that Wales has been experiencing over the last week which caused the Met Office to issue its first UK extreme heat warning.

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It comes as the RAC has warned that Friday could be be the busiest day on UK roads with 2.3 million leisure trips - with Wales alongside the West Country and Scotland predicted to be the most popular destinations.

Traffic data expert Inrix has warned delays on the roads could be up to a third longer than normal July traffic as people holiday in the UK due to foreign holiday travel restrictions during the pandemic.

The UK's hottest temperature of the year is still the 32.2C (90C) recorded at London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday.

But the 31.2C reached at Gogerddan in Ceredigion is Wales' warmest of 2021 so far.

All areas of Wales had high temperatures with 30.6C (87F) recorded at Hawarden in Flintshire, 30.3C (86.5F) at Bala in Gwynedd and 30.2C (86.3F) at both Usk in Monmouthshire and Cardiff.

What's the hottest temperature ever recorded in Wales?

Although temperatures soared across the country on Thursday, they were not the highest ever recorded in Wales or even in July.

All areas of Wales basked in sunshine on Thursday - especially on the Llyn Peninsula

The highest July temperature in Wales was 34.6°C (94.2) in 2006 - but the highest ever recorded in Wales was 35.2C (95.3F) Hawarden Bridge in Flintshire on 2 August 1990.

What's the weather going to like in Wales on the weekend?

The Met Office said "heavy, thundery showers" are likely, which could be "torrential" with the potential for up to 100mm of rain falling in places.

A yellow warning is in place for Saturday and Sunday

Lightning and hail are also expected and there is a small chance of flooding and power cuts, forecasters warned.

How have people been enjoying the sun in Wales?

At Aberavon beach in Port Talbot, Owen Parfitt manages Franco's chip shop.

"It's been bonkers, we have had queues down the path for the takeaway, we have had queues for the tables in the restaurant," he said.

"It's been really nice to be back to normal a little bit."

Owen Parfitt, of Franco's chip shop, said the day had been "bonkers".

One local said the beach was "lovely" and the people "fantastic," adding she was "definitely" in a good mood.

"This puts everyone in a better mood, doesn't it?" she said.

Is Wales' warm temperatures affected by climate change?

Over the past five years, there have been 25 days with temperatures of more than 30C (86F) in Wales - compared with four in the previous decade.

The problem with climate change is it makes the magnitude, the frequency and the duration of extreme events more intense," said Swansea University climate scientist Prof Mary Gagen.

Sunseekers enjoyed the day at Averavon Beach in Port Talbot

"We know the hottest day of the year now is nearly a degree - about 0.8C higher - than it was a few decades ago.

"We know that in the future we can expect heatwaves like this, not just to occur maybe every five years or so, but actually every other year, and that is when the starts to become a very different thing."

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