Evaluation and verification of new UK air temperature extremes during the July 2022 heatwave. Part 1: maximum temperatures

Abstract The brief but intense heatwave which affected all areas of the British Isles during the third week of July 2022 was particularly noteworthy as being the first occasion on which screen temperatures exceeded 40°C anywhere in the United Kingdom. The event resulted in widespread new records for high air temperatures, both day maximum and night minimum, many by surprisingly wide margins relative to existing climatology. This two‐part analysis examines the causes and distribution of resulting extremes of air temperature, specifically the validity of new UK air temperature records: Part 1 considers daytime maximum temperatures, and Part 2 minimum temperatures.