Britain hotter than Caribbean as temperatures soar above Bahamas in warmest day of the year so far – The Sun

The 25.8C recorded in Gravesend, Kent, meant Blightly was hotter than the Bahamas, where the temperature peaked at 25C

BRITAIN was hotter than parts of the Caribbean todayas temperatures rocketed to make it the warmest day of the year so far.

The 25.8C recorded by the Met Office in Gravesend, Kent, beat the previous best of 25.5C set in Cambridge on April 9.

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It meant Blightly was hotter than the Bahamas (25C), Ibiza (24C) and Saint Tropez (22C).

In Wattisham, Suffolk, temperatures rose to 25.2C, while at Heathrow they soared to 25C.

In Cromer, Norfolk, they peaked at 24.9C.

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The scorching heat swept the south and south east as well as parts of the north west.

But for Yorkshire, large swathes of the Midlands, Wales and the south west 30mm of rain simply brought misery.

Met Office forecaster Emma Salter said: Its been a really mixed bag.

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The glorious sunshine in the south east and north west has sandwiched this large belt of heavy rain through the middle of the country.

For people in Gravesend the weather has been fantastic. But pity those poor folk from Yorkshire, Wales and the South West who have been hit by downpours.

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Theyve seen little in the way of sunshine and had to do with temperatures that only peaked at 18C.

Temperatures in London and the south east are expected to hit 25C again tomorrowbut forecasters warned it would be mixed with rain.

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Rex Features

SOUTHERN England has just had its driest ten-month period since records began in 1910.

For the UK overall, it was the joint ninth driest April, recording 49 per cent of average rainfall. It has left soil dry and river flows well below average, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology reports. But it said water restrictions are unlikely.

It came as the Association of British Insurers warned high winds resulting from climate change will push up insurance losses.

SWNS:South West News Service

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Britain hotter than Caribbean as temperatures soar above Bahamas in warmest day of the year so far - The Sun