Cam Outside, It’s Boiling!

After a frankly rubbish summer, the UK has pulled a sneaky one out of the bag by having one of the warmest Septembers in memory.

And as usual, Cambridge is leading the way, this time in the temperature stakes. On Thursday, Cambridge was the hottest place in the UK, with temperatures reaching an incredible 29.2°C.

Bikinis were out in force as sun worshippers flocked to Jesus Green and Parker’s Piece to soak up the rays and there were plenty of punters for the punters.  Robin Woolley of Scudamore’s Punts said that Thursday was “one of the busiest [days] of the year”, and that for the second day in a row all 100 of their punts were out on the river.

Punts a-plenty: for once that picture is actually what Cambridge looks like

A MeteoGroup forecaster said: ”it is 10 degrees warmer than what is usual for this time of year. The temperature will begin to drop but there is fine weather to be had over the weekend.

”The heatwave should last until Tuesday in some parts of the UK, before we see some rain and cloud pushing across from the North and West.”

But for some this unexpected good weather has come a little too late. Toni Coppolaro, owner of Toni’s Ices in Cambridge lamented what could have been, saying: ”I have just started selling jacket potatoes on Jesus Green, I should have waited a few weeks, everyone still wants ice cream!”

Some International Students were confused by the weird weather, after they’d packed for a traditional British autumn. Manon Lewis, a Queens’ student from France, said that she’d prepared for completely the wrong season: “Now not only am I stressed about the term but I’m also boiling hot!”

But with temperatures set to remain high all weekend, this Freshers’ weekend is set to be a little less than fresh.