Thunderstorms and tropical night hit UK
People woke up bleary-eyed and begging for the heatwave to end after another tropical night with thunder rolling over the UK. Thunderstorms swept across southern parts of England overnight, with Londoners reporting they were woken by loud bolts and 'strobe lights' like they had never seen before. A new June record temperature of 37.1C was reached in Cavendish, Suffolk, yesterday, while London pavements sizzled at almost 60C during the heat spell.
Extreme heat warning still active
London, the South East and East Anglia remain under an amber extreme heat warning active until 9pm today, with conditions compounded by humidity. The Met Office warns of the risk of heat exhaustion and possible power cuts, while travel continues to be disrupted as rail infrastructure struggles, with major train operators running reduced schedules.
Four toddlers die in France's heatwave
The heatwave took a tragic turn in France, where conditions were even tougher than in the UK. Officials banned alcohol sales until tomorrow and postponed events like Pride to ease pressure on emergency services. A fourth toddler died in connection with the heatwave, while over 55 people drowned this week. An 18-month-old boy was rushed to hospital after being found in a car in Marseille, suffering from overheating, believed to have been forgotten by his father, according to Le Figaro. In Paris, a three-year-old boy died after climbing into a car that locked automatically as temperatures soared to almost 40C. The bodies of two children, aged two and four, were discovered in a family car earlier this week.
Another night of thunderstorms
People have been tested by the extreme heat, with temperatures hardly dropping below 20C in most parts of the UK. Hot and humid conditions were ideal for lightning strikes, which hit London and the South East during a thunderstorm warning. Social media users described the thunder as nearly causing a heart attack, with one user tweeting: 'That was one loud crash of thunder in east London!'
Temperatures set to drop
The end of the heatwave is near, with temperatures due to fall over the weekend. Following the hottest June on record, which put pressure on emergency services, forced school closures, and caused chaos on public transport, things are about to ease. The Met Office's red weather warning for the West has ended, and the amber warning in other parts expired at 9pm last night. The UK Health Security Agency downgraded its red heat-health alert to amber, which will remain until 9am on Sunday, indicating that widespread impacts are possible. Temperatures will gradually become more comfortable as humidity lessens, particularly from Sunday when they dip to the low to mid-20s, with low 20s forecast next week.
Travel disruption continues
Passengers fled a train after a fire alert on the Central Line at Shepherd's Bush station, causing severe delays. Footage showed sweltering passengers leaving a smoking train. A fire engine arrived, and commuters evacuated, with social media users comparing the line to a 'furnace'. Supertram in South Yorkshire issued a 'do not travel' warning, suspending all services from 1:30pm until further notice, with tickets accepted on First and Stagecoach buses. Most rail operators advise people to travel only if absolutely necessary due to the heat and timetable changes.
Heat records smashed
The heatwave has broken multiple June records. On Wednesday, June 24, Gosport on the Hampshire coast hit 36.1C, topping the previous record from 50 years ago. On Thursday, June 25, Merryfield village in Somerset measured 36.7C. On Friday, June 26, Wattisham, Suffolk, provisionally recorded 36.9C, making it the hottest June day on record, according to the Met Office. The UK's all-time highest temperature remains 40.3C, recorded on July 19, 2022, in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.
Other impacts
Stonehenge in Wiltshire closed at 3pm today due to hot weather, with last entry at 1:30pm. A schoolboy's body was found in Meynell Lake in Syston, Lancashire, after he went missing yesterday. Wreake Valley Academy said in a statement: 'We are devastated by the loss of one of our students and our thoughts and deepest condolences are with their family and friends.' Spain registered 327 heat-related deaths since Sunday, according to the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III. The heat is expected to move through western Europe and the Balkans.
