Parts of the United Kingdom experienced a significant rise in temperatures, marking the warmest day of the year to date and one of the hottest April days recorded in the past eight decades.

On Wednesday, Kew Gardens in south-west London reached a peak temperature of 26.5°C (79.7°F), as reported by the Met Office. This marks the highest temperature for the early part of April since 1946.

A spokesperson for the Met Office stated, “We are currently experiencing an unusually warm period for early April, driven by high-pressure systems that are pulling warm air into the UK.” They noted that many regions, especially in central, southern, and eastern England, are seeing temperatures significantly above the seasonal average.

On this day, London outperformed several well-known vacation spots, such as Ibiza, Rome, and Marrakech, in terms of warmth.

Wednesday’s temperatures eclipsed the previous record of 24.8°C set just a day earlier in Mona on Anglesey, Wales.

Despite this surge in temperature, the Met Office clarified that the current weather does not qualify as a heatwave, which is defined as temperatures exceeding specific regional thresholds of 24°C and 27°C for a minimum of three consecutive days.

This warm spell coincides with the peak of pollen season in the UK, with high levels of ash and birch pollen reported, according to the Met Office.

Tom Morgan, a meteorologist at the Met Office, explained to PA Media, “Temperatures reaching the mid-20s are quite rare for this time of year. While it has been exceptionally warm, this is just a temporary spike in heat, and temperatures across most of the UK will be significantly lower tomorrow.”

Forecasts for Thursday indicate that rain and cooler, showery weather will move southeast across the UK.