Home / Weather News /

History repeating itself: 40C again?

11:00
22 July 2022

History repeating itself
40C again?

A dried up Lindley Wood Reservoir, Yorkshire as a result of recent record-breaking heatA dried up Lindley Wood Reservoir, Yorkshire as a result of recent record-breaking heat - © picture alliance

Having never seen 40C on a weather chart before, to the figure becoming a reality, will we really see these extreme temperatures again so soon?

Prior to our record-breaking 40.3C heat in England on July 19th, a lone weather model first showed the signs of 40C on June 30th, nearly three weeks out.

One individual ensemble member (out of 21) on a GEFS model run, has already decided to repeat history, showing 40C once again across England, for early August.

The same weather models, the GFS and the GEFS (the ensemble version of the GFS), were the ones that cottoned onto the first 40C, though they were actually showing more extreme values, into the mid-40s C.

This was linked to the model's unrealistically low soil moisture, which was comparable to desert soils. This resulted in a warm-bias, with the same issue likely causing the 40C in the weather model outputs again. Though, ultimately, it wasn't miles off.

That being said, one ensemble output is not a forecast. But it can't necessarily be ignored. Whether we see 40C again or not is still immensely uncertain, but what is certain, is that our climate thresholds are clearly shifting.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
WindRadar shows the powerful Hurricane ERIN
Wednesday 20 August 2025

Waves & wind batter coast

Hurricane Erin grazes US coast
On the left, a satellite image of a hurricane over the sea; on the right, a man in a clearance vehicle clearing debris and food in a flooded supermarket.
Friday 29 August 2025

Twenty years ago today

Hurricane Katrina hits US Gulf Coast
WindRadar forecast for Monday: Former Hurricane ERIN reaches Europe as an extratropical storm.
Friday 22 August 2025

Conversion to low

Hurricane Erin moves towards Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Wednesday 27 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Frontal system brings heavy rain
Split weather map showing the UK and Ireland. The left side illustrates strong winds circulating around a low-pressure system, with gusts of 20–30 mph highlighted in orange and yellow. The right side shows radar imagery with widespread blue rain bands and patches of thunderstorms, especially over northern England and Scotland.
Thursday 28 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Remaining widely unsettled
Sunday 24 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mammatus clouds widely spotted
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement