Temperatures have breached 40C in the UK for the first time on Tuesday amid the continued heatwave, figures show.
The highest ever UK temperature was provisionally recorded at Heathrow this afternoon.
The Met Office earlier revealed that the UK had experienced its warmest night on record on Monday, with temperatures remaining in the mid-20s, meaning an uncomfortable sleep for many.
4.03pm
Temperatures have now risen above 40°C at a number of UK sites, however fresher conditions are now arriving across the far west of the country 👇#heatwave2022 #heatwave pic.twitter.com/WiLpsoAMvi
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
4.01pm
The Met Office said: “Temperatures have now risen above 40C at a number of UK sites, however fresher conditions are now arriving across the far west of the country.”
At 3pm, Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, had equalled the 40.2C seen at Heathrow.
The temperature at Kew Gardens, in south-west London, had risen to 40.1C.
3.57pm
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3.55pm
Residents have spoken of “unbearable” heat in the first village to break the national temperature record in the current heatwave last week.
The small village of Charlwood, in Surrey, recorded a temperature of 39.1C on Friday morning, making it the first to break the previous record of 38.7C, set in Cambridgeshire in 2019.
One resident, Mazie Alden, 25, who runs the Half Moon pub with her father and his partner, said: “We’ve found it unbearable but we’re coping. We’ve got fans going and cold water so we’re trying our best at the pub with our staff as well.
“We’ve had a few customers that are sitting in the pub because obviously the fans are on and then we’ve got the crazy couple that are just sitting outside in the sun, which I don’t know how they’re doing that.”
3.53pm
We have declared a major incident as firefighters battle several significant fires across the capital during today’s record-breaking heatwave. For the latest on those, follow this account @londonfire https://t.co/1ThCGrc33K pic.twitter.com/Tp4J0l2Zkr
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) July 19, 2022
3.46pm
Extra police patrols will be brought in at a Lancashire quarry following reports more than 400 people gathered there on Monday.
A Lancashire Police spokesman said the patrols would be at Jamestone Quarry in Haslingden on Tuesday, along with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service officers who would be diverting people away and giving water safety messaging.
Sergeant Craig Leech said: “We know that people may not agree with us, but two teenagers have died in the North West in the last two weeks.
“One dip in the water could cost you, or your child, their life and it is not worth it.”
3.35pm
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3.33pm
⚠️ 🔥 Do not travel on West Coast Main Line services out of London Euston this afternoon.
The line is currently blocked. There are no services and we cannot guarantee that services will resume today:
➡️ https://t.co/r9QVoxsyrQ#heatwave #heatwaveuk @NetworkRailEUS pic.twitter.com/VO8rc9lho7
— Network Rail (@networkrail) July 19, 2022
3.32pm
All trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes have been suspended as emergency services deal with a lineside fire.
The blaze was caused when 25,000 volt overhead electric cables came down in Harrow.
Network Rail said all services to and from London Euston are suspended until further notice.
3.23pm
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3.16pm
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city’s Fire Brigade is under “immense pressure” in response to a huge surge in blazes across the capital.
3.08pm
NEW: London Fire Brigade has just declared a Major Incident in response to a huge surge in fires across the capital today.
This is critical: @LondonFire is under immense pressure. Please be safe.
I'm in touch with the Commissioner and will share updates when I have them.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 19, 2022
2.53pm
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2.51pm
Be mindful when considering travelling in extreme heat, as high temperatures can have a significant impact on travel infrastructure, from buckling railway tracks… pic.twitter.com/5XrzrcM1Hs
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
2.50pm
It seems that the increased heat has not had too much of an impact on berry production, with growers able to meet the demand.
Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, said: “Generally, yields will be a bit lower as berries ripen faster and don’t quite make the same size as if the berries were left to grow longer.
“However, the fast ripening creates a flush of crop which, if the good weather is maintained for a few days, which it has, then this meets an increased consumer demand.
“Usually, if the sun is shining then we see more Brits buying berries, outdoor entertaining, summer desserts etc, are all good berry buying occasions.”
2.39pm
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2.32pm
The 16-year-old boy who died in Bray Lake near Maidenhead in Berkshire on Monday has been named by Thames Valley Police as Sean Norbert Anyanwu.
He was described in a brief tribute by his family as “the light of the family … he was everything we could have asked for”.
They said: “We are devastated by his loss and we would ask for our privacy to be respected while we grieve.”
2.21pm
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2.19pm
The heatwave has sparked a spending spree on summer essentials, with sales of fans, ice cream, paddling pools and burgers rocketing.
Waitrose has had its biggest week for ice creams, with sales up 36% year on year, while John Lewis’s sales of fans and air conditioning units are up 709% year on year.
Asda sold at least 4.5 million sausages and 1.4 million burgers last week, while charcoal sales increased by 400%.
2.13pm
Earlier, the Prince of Wales voiced concern over the climate crisis amid the stifling heat:
2.08pm
Met Office Chief of Science and Technology, Professor Stephen Belcher, reflects on the UK breaching 40°C for the first time pic.twitter.com/d57FGJx8To
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
2.03pm
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2pm
Meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker says he saw a brief ‘dust devil’ – a whirlwind – in the park earlier.
Just saw a small dust devil in the park, about 1 metre wide 20 feet+ tall (whirling column of hot air)…really gutted didn’t capture it. Lasted only 5 seconds. Has anyone seen one today? #London 40° #hat ✔️ #water✔️ #sunscreen ✔️ #heatwaveuk #Heatwave2022 #heatwave #recordbreaker pic.twitter.com/GmzezuOCHw
— Tomasz Schafernaker (@Schafernaker) July 19, 2022
1.55pm
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1.46pm
Sage advice from recently retired football manager (and cyclist, it seems) Neil Warnock, who has urged people to stay hydrated and healthy.
Enjoy the lovely weather but enjoy it by staying hydrated 🤣😎 #heatwave #stayhydrated #water #Heatwave2022 pic.twitter.com/vMkt0Qm4mp
— Neil Warnock (@warnockofficial) July 19, 2022
1.45pm
The Met Office said temperatures in many other places of England had already exceeded the previous record of 38.7C from 2019 by 1pm on Tuesday.
As well as the 40.2C seen at Heathrow, Charlwood in Surrey hit 39.9C, Kew Gardens saw 39.6C and Wisley in Surrey recorded 39.3C.
Chertsey in Surrey and Northolt in west London both saw 39.2C.
Many sites across the country have now beaten the previous temperature record of 38.7 °C, with temperatures rising above 40 °C for the first time 👇 pic.twitter.com/RRXFBykGbJ
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
1.40pm
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1.36pm
A swimmer is missing at sea and five others have been pulled from the water close to Clacton Pier in Essex, the Coastguard said.
Emergency services have been called to the scene and a major search and rescue is underway to find the man after six people got into difficulty off the coast.
1.31pm
Morning! #Cornwall #NoCommute #thunder #lightening pic.twitter.com/nkvMxcJQyI
— Ruth Garside 🇪🇺 💙🌻 (@Ruth_Garside) July 19, 2022
1.29pm
Less punishing – but no less spectacular – conditions were welcomed by people in the South West earlier today.
Lucy McRobert, communications manager for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, told the PA news agency she first heard the “rumblings” of thunder and lightning early this morning.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been so relieved to see the sky go black and the rain start pouring,” she said.
1.27pm
Fresher conditions are on the way for some parts, according to the Met Office:
Temperatures continue to climb Tuesday afternoon under strong sunshine, however fresher conditions edge into the far west with cloud and showers arriving 🌦️#heatwave2022 #heatwave pic.twitter.com/BU1g6AlxNu
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
1.25pm
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1.20pm
Interim deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin, said the heatwave was having an impact on urgent and emergency care and some planned care.
She said: “Across the country we are seeing hospitals having to scale back the number of planned surgeries as operating theatres are too hot.
“Trusts are having to install industrial cooling units, mounting fans, and trying to cool down IT server rooms.”
1.08pm
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1.05pm
Despite the hottest day on record in the UK, the Queen carried on with her royal duties.
The 96-year-old welcomed the new US ambassador Jane Hartley from the safety of inside Windsor Castle during the virtual audience on Tuesday.
1.01pm
🌡️ For the first time ever, 40 Celsius has provisionally been exceeded in the UK
London Heathrow reported a temperature of 40.2°C at 12:50 today
📈 Temperatures are still climbing in many places, so remember to stay #WeatherAware ⚠️#heatwave #heatwave2022 pic.twitter.com/GLxcR6gjZX
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
12.58pm
BREAKING – The temperature has exceeded 40C in the UK for the first time on record, with 40.2C reported at Heathrow at 12.50pm on Tuesday, according to provisional Met Office figures.
12.57pm
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12.52pm
☀️In the past week, there has been a 525% increase in visits to the @NHSuk website's heat exhaustion page.
With some of the UK forecasting temperatures exceeding 40°C today, the website is an essential resource for people seeking advice.
Read more⬇️https://t.co/2Cqco0DdLV pic.twitter.com/uBrL0E9frx
— NHS Digital (@NHSDigital) July 19, 2022
12.51pm
There were 90,592 visits to the heat exhaustion and heatstroke section of the NHS website on Monday – that’s equivalent to around 63 visits every minute.
NHS Digital also said that in total there have been 284,772 visits to the web page over the past seven days from July 12-18.
12.49pm
BREAKING: A man in his 20s has died at the Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire Police said.
Police were called shortly after 6pm on Monday and said the man was confirmed dead shortly after being pulled from the water. His death is not being treated as suspicious.
The park is an area of more than 40 square miles with 180 lakes.
12.48pm
Temperatures are still rising across the country with parts of the UK already into the high thirties 👇#heatwave2022 #heatwave pic.twitter.com/GIOM7m1VGH
— Met Office (@metoffice) July 19, 2022
12.47pm
Along with Charlwood, in Surrey, two other places had surpassed the previous UK temperature record by noon on Tuesday, the Met Office said.
Kew Gardens, in west London, and Heathrow, west of London, both recorded temperatures of 38.8C, taking them over the 2019 high of 38.7C.
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