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Many across the UK witnessed soaring temperatures as the country recorded its warmest day of the year so far – and one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years.

Temperatures reached a high of 26.5C (79.7F) in Kew Gardens, south-west London, on Wednesday, the Met Office said. It was the hottest day recorded in the first half of April since 1946, according to the forecaster.

“We are currently seeing a spell of very warm weather for early April, with high pressure drawing warm air north across the UK,” a Met Office spokesperson said. “For many areas, particularly central, southern and eastern England, temperatures are well above average for the time of year.”

London was hotter than many popular holiday destinations this week, including Ibiza, Rome and Marrakech.

Wednesday comfortably surpassed this year’s previous warmest day, recorded a day earlier on Tuesday, when temperatures hit 24.8C in Mona on the island of Anglesey in Wales.

Despite the high temperatures, the Met Office has said that this week’s weather does not meet its definition of a heatwave, which requires temperatures to exceed region‑specific thresholds of 24C and 27C for at least three consecutive days.

The hot weather has also coincided with peak pollen season in the UK, with ash and birch pollen levels remaining “very high”, according to the Met Office.

“Temperatures even into the mid 20s are very uncommon at this time of year,” Tom Morgan, a meteorologist at the Met Office, told PA Media. “It’s been very, very warm, but it is a brief peak in the heat, with temperatures for most of the UK considerably lower tomorrow.”

Thursday is expected to bring rain and cooler, showery weather moving south-east across the UK.