The Met Office has confirmed that Hastings has set a new UK-wide highest daily minimum temperature record for June, with 23.2ยฐC recorded by the town's weather volunteers on Friday 26 June. This exceeds the previous UK record of 22.7ยฐC set on the Isle of Wight in 1976.
The Hastings Weather Service has recorded and reported on weather data collected in the town since 1875. The dedicated team of weather volunteers records weather readings every day of the year. These figures are published locally as well as being submitted daily to the Met Office, where the data is used to validate their forecasting and contributes to the long-term UK climate record.
Cllr Jo Walker, lead councillor for climate, nature and green spaces, said:
This news is extremely worrying. Setting a new national temperature record is a reminder that climate change is not a distant issue - it is happening now. Higher temperatures can have a serious impact on nature, with water sources drying up, wildfires damaging important habitats, and fewer food sources available for wildlife. This is another reminder of why climate action remains so important.
โThank you to our dedicated volunteers for their hard work and commitment. Their careful observations, recorded every single day of the year, provide an invaluable contribution to the Met Office's forecasting and to our understanding of how our local climate is changing. Reaching this new record really highlights the importance of long-term weather records.
A member of the weather team added:
In an era of climate change, this is not a record to welcome but is a sign of the times and possibly what the future holds.
