Today is expected to be the UK's hottest day on record with predicted temperatures of 41C in places.

The picture for Taunton is looking slightly less extreme, although it's still going to be feeling warm for most of the day.

The amber weather alert, which came into place for the south on Sunday, remains until the end of the day, warning of the heat's potential impacts on people and infrastructure.

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What weather warnings mean

Highest temperature in UK

The UK experienced one of its hottest ever days yesterday, with the Met Office warning of worse to come.

The mercury hit 38.1C in Santon Downham, Suffolk, making it the hottest day of the year and the third hottest day on record, after 38.7C in Cambridge in 2019 and 38.5C in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.

But the current UK temperature record looks almost certain to fall today, as temperatures could reach 41C in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall said: “I’ve been a qualified meteorologist for 10 years, and telling people about 41C in the UK doesn’t seem real.

“It’s crazy how we are talking about these sorts of values, I’ve never seen the models coming up with these values.

“It’s been quite an eye-opener to climate change with all these temperatures in the UK.”

Climate change, which has pushed up global temperatures by 1.2C on pre-industrial levels, is making heatwaves longer, more intense and more likely.

Experts have warned of the need to adapt homes, cities and infrastructure in the UK for a future of more intense summer heat.

Taunton Met Office weather forecast for Tuesday

Expect clear skies and increasing temperatures until around lunchtime today before clouds arrive at lunchtime bringing with them thundery conditions and some much-needed rain.

This will soon clear though and a sunny, hot afternoon and evening will follow.

Here's the Met Office hour-by-hour breakdown:

  • Midnight: Clear skies, 24C
  • 1am: Clear skies, 23C
  • 2am: Clear skies, 23C
  • 3am: Partly cloudy, 22C
  • 4am: Clear skies, 21C
  • 5am: Clear skies, 21C
  • 6am: Sunny, 22C
  • 7am: Sunny, 22C
  • 8am: Sunny, 24C
  • 9am: Sunny, 27C
  • 10am: Sunny, 28C
  • 11am: Sunny, 28C
  • Midday: Cloudy, 28C
  • 1pm: Cloudy, 26C
  • 2pm: Thunder, 25C
  • 3pm: Sunny intervals, 25C
  • 4pm: Sunny, 24C
  • 5pm: Sunny, 26C
  • 6pm: Sunny, 26C
  • 7pm: Sunny, 25C
  • 8pm: Sunny, 22C
  • 9pm: Sunny intervals, 22C
  • 10pm: Partly cloudy, 21C
  • 11pm: Partly cloudy, 20C