Portsmouth weather: Will the heatwave ease off this weekend - and could we get some rain?
Today has been the hottest June day on record - will this weather continue?
Hot weather in Portsmouth looks set to continue this weekend, but the worst of the heatwave appears to be behind us.
Today (Friday, June 26) was confirmed to be the UK’s hottest June day on record with a provisional temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk. It comes amid a rare red weather warning, which encompasses Portsmouth and the surrounding area.
Dozens of schools have closed due to the heat, and a critical incident has been declared by NHS services across Hampshire.
Train passengers are being urged to avoid non-essential travel across much of England on Friday, with Network Rail saying services operating in the Met Office’s red and amber zones should only be used “if absolutely necessary”. Meanwhile, the RAC is advising to “only travel for essential trips”.
Some tourist attractions shut early or did not open today, with Marwell Zoo in Hampshire being closed completely.
Annie Shuttleworth, a Met Office meteorologist, said eastern England is expected to see the highest temperatures on Friday but things will “finally cool down this weekend”.
The current heatwave is driven by a “heat-dome” - an area of high pressure that stalls over a region and traps heat - settling over western Europe and bringing extreme conditions across the continent.
Here is what the weather forecast is looking like for Portsmouth this weekend.
Saturday, June 27
Warmer than today (June 26), with highs of 28 degrees Celsius and lows of 18 degrees. Largely sunny, with some sunny spells mid-afternoon.
With a wind speed of 17mph and 86 per cent humidity, it will feel more like 25 degrees throughout the day.
Going into the evening, there is a 60 per cent chance of rain at 9pm - but rain is still not guaranteed.
Saturday, June 28
A few degrees cooler, with highs of 23 degrees and lows of 13 degrees. Sunny spells forecast throughout the day.
Wind speed is expected to be 29mph, with 86 per cent humidity, making it feel closer to 20 degrees.
No rain is forecast for Sunday.