Bookies Slash Odds on UK Temperature Reaching 100F
Date: 18-Jul-06
Country: UK
Bookmaker William Hill was offering 5/4 after last week's 6/1 and have some 100,000 pounds riding on the outcome.
"This is the shortest price we have offered in years," said a spokesman.
Hills have also halved the odds of a new record temperature being set to 4/1 from 8/1.
The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK was 101.3F (38.5C), reached at Faversham in Kent on Aug. 10 2003.
This week's Met Office forecast calls for temperatures to continue rising through Wednesday to about 93F (34C) in the southeast before falling back later in the week.
The Environment Department is predicting high ozone levels for southern England on Monday, which can affect people susceptible to breathing difficulties, but said particulate matter concentrations in the air are likely to stay low.