It has been a sweltering summer for the history books in Barbados, as the island shattered an 18-year record to record its highest temperature ever on Saturday (September 30).

Data from the Barbados Meteorological Service (BMS) points to the island hitting a new high of 34.2 degrees Celcius around noon, breaking the previous September 2005 record of 33.1 degrees.

The new reading also beats Barbados’ previous 33.6-degree national record by 0.6 degrees.

The historic temperature milestone was measured at the BMS Charnocks station in the south of the country. Charnock station’s previous peak maximum temperature of 32.9°C was recorded in August 1998.

The Barbados Meteorological Service says that the island’s ‘heat season’ is expected to persist into November.

Data from its August 2023 monthly climate outlook, noted however, that “nine automatic weather stations recorded a monthly maximum temperature above 34°C, with a further nineteen stations recording measurements above 33°C, in the southwestern, western and northwestern portions of the island”.

Saba Best, director of the Bajan weather and climate watchdog, has since urged citizens not to take the heat extreme lightly as high temperatures will persist until Tuesday.

Barbados has been baked by warm sea surface temperatures surrounding the Caribbean for several months; a phenomenon magnified by Tropical Storm Philippe, well north of the Leeward Islands in the open Atlantic Ocean.