Lightning storm
© Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

The Met Office says the event is highly unusual


Parts of Lincolnshire experienced a ten degree temperature rise in under one hour last night due to a rare atmospheric phenomenon.

The Met Office has said that the so-called 'heat burst' was caused by a thunderstorm collapsing and bringing hot air down to ground level.

This caused the temperature recorded by the Met Office at Donna Nook to increase a staggering 10 degrees in just 38 minutes, jumping from 22C at 8.22pm to 32C just before 9pm.

A spokesperson for the Met Office told Lincolnshire Live: "While heat bursts are not unknown globally, to get that temperature rise so suddenly is much more common in countries with more turbulent weather.

"It doesn't happen very often at all full stop, honestly.

"This sort of weather behaviour is usually seen in regions such as mid-west United States prior to a hurricane or extremely stormy weather."


What is a heat burst?

A heat burst is characterised by gusty winds along with a rapid increase in temperature and decrease in dew point (moisture).
Lincolnshire recorded its highest ever temperature yesterday, Thursday July 25. The high of 35.9C in Holbeach topped the previous highest recorded in Bourne 29 years ago by 0.1C.