The UK is set to see its hottest day on record, with temperatures on Tuesday expected to reach up to 42C (107.6F).
A high of 38.1C was reached in Suffolk on Monday, just short of the UK record of 38.7C set in 2019. Wales recorded its hottest day on record with 37.1C.
The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning covering much of central, northern, and south-east England.
Provisional figures showed the UK experienced the warmest night on record from Monday into Tuesday.
Temperatures did not fall below 25C in places, exceeding the previous highest daily minimum record of 23.9C recorded in Brighton on 3 August 1990, the Met Office said.
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Emley Moor in west Yorkshire could have broken the record, where 25.9C was recorded overnight, according to the Met Office.
Scotland could see its highest day on record, surpassing the 32.9C set at Greycrook in the Scottish Borders in August 2003.
The hottest places in Scotland yesterday were Aboyne in Aberdeenshire and Leuchars in Fife, both with highs of 31.3C.
As temperatures rapidly rise, already reaching 37C in some areas, emergency responses have been issued across the UK:
- A man died after being pulled from the sea on the Isle of Wight
- At least four other people are believed to have drowned after attempting to escape the heat in rivers and lakes
- Network Rail issued a “do-not-travel” warning for Tuesday, affecting services travelling through the “red zone”
- Thameslink, Great Northern, East Midlands and East Coast services are heavily disrupted – or cancelled altogether
- The Supreme Court moved hearings online, while the British Museum confirmed it would shut early at 15:00 BST
The extreme warning, indicating a threat to life, is in place in an area stretching between London, Manchester and York.
Thermometers were reading 37.3C in the village of Charlwood, Surrey, at 11:00 on Tuesday. Kew Gardens soared to 36.9C, with Heathrow Airport rising to 36.6C.
There was a markedly cooler outlook for Penzance, Cornwall, where thundery storms hit the popular holiday destination and were projected to last until midday.
But by 16:00, Lincoln, Cambridge and Huntingdon could see 40C – and areas in the A1/M1 corridor may surpass this.
Source: BBC