Thunderstorms to descend on Britain after June heat record was broken for third time in three days
After three record-setting days, which peaked at 37.3C, thunderstorms are set to descend on much of Britain to bring a wet end to the hottest June ever.
Thunderstorms are set to bring an abrupt end to the record-breaking June heatwave, after Britain sweltered in 37.3C temperatures on Friday.
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After the record for the hottest June day was broken for the third time in a row, the Met Office's rare red extreme heat warnings have been lifted.
But extreme weather is set to continue with thunderstorms now set to batter much of Scotland, with an amber warning still in place for heat for most of England.
Train companies have warned that disruption due to the heat will continue into Saturday, after several franchises warned passengers to only travel if necessary.
Firefighters from Derbyshire and Greater Manchester are continuing to battle a large wildfire on Tintwistle Moor that has been burning since Wednesday.
Health chiefs are warning of the impact the heatwave is having on services as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls.
People have been warned to drink responsibly and avoid exercising outside amid the punishing heat, especially with England set to take on Panama in the World Cup on Saturday night.
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Here is a rundown of the latest headlines:
- Temperatures reached a new high on Friday, with 36.9C recorded in Suffolk.
- The Met Office's rare red warning for extreme heat has been extended until 9pm on Friday.
- A wildfire is raging near Glossop in Derbyshire, with six fire engines on site to tackle the blaze.
- Much of the north, Scotland and Wales are set to face heavy thunderstorms on Friday as the heat comes to an abrupt end.
- Network Rail has warned passengers to only travel if necessary until the weekend as disruption on train lines continues.
- Three hospitals have declared critical incidents as high demand cripples NHS services.
A look ahead...
The Met Office has lifted the rare red heat warning.
It has been replaced with a yellow thunderstorm warning across Scotland - and an amber heat warning for London and the south east of England.
These will remain in place until 9pm on Saturday.
What can we expect tomorrow?
The Met Office has said the UK can expect to see a "slightly fresher feel in Saturday's forecast, but still hot and humid in the east".
However, another warm night is on store with overnight temperatures remaining above 20°C for some.
An amber warning is in place for heat lasting from midnight Saturday until 9pm.
It comes after the country saw its hottest June day on record, with 37.3C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk on Friday afternoon.
'Cheeky and gorgeous' boy, 13, who drowned in lake after 'paddling with friends'
The teenage boy who died after "paddling with friends" in a lake during the UK heatwave has been named locally as Hayden Jones-Powell.
His loved ones described him as "cheeky, gorgeous" and a "great friend".
A Crowdfunder has been set up to raise funds to cover his funeral.
Hayden Jones-PowellGermany also records its hottest June day on record
Temperatures hit 40C at several locations in Germany on Friday, according to the country's weather service.
The highest was recorded in the western city of Saarbrücken, where the mercury reached 40.9C,
The country's previous June record was 39.6C.
New provisional June record as temperature rises to 37.3C
A provisional temperature of 37.3C has been reached in Santon Downham, in Suffolk, setting another record UK high for June, the Met Office said.
Nottingham the latest to suspend its tram services
Writing on X, NET Nottingham Tram said it was reducing its service or safety reasons amid the extreme heat.
A spokesperson said: "We have withdrawn several of our services due to excessive heat and are currently running a limited tram service, resulting in extended wait times.
"There are currently 16/32 services running.
"We must ensure your safety, and unfortunately, due to the extremely hot weather we're experiencing, our trams are struggling to remain at a safe and cool temperature.
"We're withdrawing services that are not able to provide a cool enough environment for our customers.
"This will allow us time to try to cool our trams at our depot and allow our maintenance team access to fix any issues with the trams."
New provisional June record as temperature rises to 37.1C
A provisional temperature of 37.1C has been reached in Cavendish, Suffolk, setting another record for June, the Met Office has said.
The Met Office warned temperatures are still rising as Friday was confirmed to be the UK’s hottest June day on record with a provisional temperature of 37.1C recorded in Cavendish, Suffolk, surpassing the high of 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday.
These smashed the long-standing record for June heat – which dates back to the summer of 1976.
E. coli levels in the Thames reached near record-breaking levels this week after raw sewage
Testing carried out recorded 58,000 E. coli per 100ml of river water, following heavy rainfall earlier this week.
Thames Water has confirmed to LBC that a "spill event" occurred "during planned maintenance works". DEFRA classifies more than 1,000 E.coli per 100ml as poor bathing water quality.
James Wallace, CEO of campaign group River Action, said: "If you were to drink that water, it to get into your mouth, it could make you very seriously ill.
"If it could go into an open wound, for example, if you're a rower, it could actually cause sepsis and even kill you."
Yellow thunderstorm warnings come into force
The Met Office has enforced a yellow warning for thunderstorms in the North East and Yorkshire from 2pm to 9pm today.
A spokesperson said: "Prepare to protect your property and people from injury.
"Before gusty winds arrive, check to ensure moveable objects or temporary structures are well secured. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, gazebos, sheds, and fences."
Yellow warnings for thunderstorms in place on Friday evening.Tram services in Sheffield suspended 'until further notice'
The extreme heat has caused the suspension of tram services in Sheffield.
Supertram services on all lines were halted at 1:30pm until further notice.
Parts of South Yorkshire are under an amber heat health alert.
A Supertram spokesperson said: "While we have experienced high temperatures throughout the week, this afternoon’s forecast is the highest we have seen, and we have therefore taken the decision to temporarily suspend tram services across the network.
"Customer and staff safety is always our priority. We are continuing to monitor temperatures throughout the afternoon, and services will resume once conditions have improved and it is safe to operate.
"We apologise for the disruption and thank customers for their patience and understanding.
"To help customers complete their journeys, ticket acceptance is in place on First and Stagecoach bus services andNorthern rail services.
"However, our advice is to please avoid travelling this afternoon if possible."
Trams in Sheffield have been suspended due to the extreme heat.