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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Jessica Elgot

Heatwave live: Britain swelters on hottest July day on record

A sunbather outside her beach hut in Scarborough.
A sunbather outside her beach hut in Scarborough. Photograph: Andrew McCaren/LNP

As the temperatures start to cool into the evening, we are going to bring this blog to a close. Thank you very much for following and for all your comments. Happy rest of heatwave!

As temperatures reached 36.7 °C at Heathrow, commuters were facing difficult journeys on the London Underground. One platform at Kings Cross underground station recorded 33 °C however the temperature on tubes is believed to be even hotter.

Charlotte Dalen, originally from Norway but now living in London, said: “It was pretty warm and very smelly. People were waving pamphlets to keep cool but it didn’t look like it was helping.”

Yet Kings Cross is one of the cooler stations according to busker Egon Janikowskisi, who’s been playing tube stations for around six years. “It’s not easy but there’s some places I’m trying not to play.”It’s not the best thing, to busk, when it’s warm. They [commuters] want to get out straight away,” he said.

Tourists from Australia were fairing better than Brits, with Amanda Blake claiming: “The weather’s fine, just like a normal summers day in Sydney.”

Not everybody was complaining, with one commuter saying travellers had to be “sensible”. Charlie Witzel, travelling on the Northern line, said: “It’s fine down there. It’s hot but not unbearable.”It’s 33 °C, you just have to plan for it.”

Adele Johnson

Enjoy the sun, and the Guardian, in London.
Enjoying the sun, and the Guardian, in London. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP

Updated

Lightning over the Angel of the North after a heavy storm.
Lightning over the Angel of the North after a heavy storm. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

There may be a pause in liveblogging after 4pm, amusingly because we’re having to switch to backup servers because our main ones have overheated.

I’ll be posting a summary shortly.

Updated

A well-drilled operation swung into action in Gravesend earlier this week amid forecasts that the town would once again be the hottest place in the UK.

An advertising campaign by Kent county council urged locals to drink plenty of water, “enough to make you pee at least four times a day,” it advised, and nearby Darent Valley Hospital issued warnings about the dangers of dehydration.

However, by Wednesday afternoon the town could only muster a relatively paltry 32C – eclipsed by large swaths of southeast England and a long way short of its 38.1C record, which was set in 2003.

At Gravesend Sailing Club, the members have just finished their yearly floor mop – an annual ritual they try complete on the hottest day of the year so it dries quicker. It might seem like the perfect day to be out on the water, but club secretary Roy Turner says the hot conditions make people “somnolent” rather than seagoing.

“What you wouldn’t want to do is go down below deck on one of these boats and try cook a meal in these temperatures – you would either explode or throw up or both. Being inside a plastic boat isn’t very comfortable either. But sitting in the back with a beer in your hand, it’s really rather nice,” he says.

Inside the clubhouse, members talk ruefully about the year Gravesend was beaten by a nearby village to the title of being the hottest place in the UK. “It’s nice that Gravesend gets on the map and gets a mention when it is the hottest town, which it often is but not today,” says Turner.

Soaking up the rays on a bench on Gordon promenade, Veronica Josh, 70, and her friend Jean Reay, 71, say they took no notice of the health warnings urging people to stay indoors between 11am and 4pm.

“We didn’t want to do any housework so we said let’s go down the park for an hour,” says Josh, who is recently back from a holiday in Barbados where it was, she says, “hot hot” compared to Gravesend which is just “hot”.

Brandishing a bottle of factor 30 suncream from her handbag, Reay says she read the official warnings in her local newspaper but decided it was “especially for oldies” and ventured out anyway. “We took a lot of notice, didn’t we?! We’re staying here all afternoon.”

Along the promenade, Harinder Badatch, 45, and his wife Sukhjinder, 39, have been able to get a rare day off work to take their son, Samanpreet, 9, for an operation at the dentist. This is the only time they get to spend time together as a family, outside of family holidays. “You go to work, you come home and you haven’t got time to do anything with the kids,” Harinder says.

“There’s so much pressure on life in general. It’s such a stressful environment. It’s such a mundane ritual. Especially in Gravesend, the only time they have is to come to places like this. It’s nice, it’s close, it’s clean. Otherwise you’ve got to take out a whole weekend to go further.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the parade was half empty with only a couple of young families and retired couples taking in the heat by the Thames estuary. By this weekend, town officials hope it will be full to bursting as the town’s 169th annual regatta swings into life, boasting a summer carnival queen competition and a giant funfair.

“Sometimes it’s a great family atmosphere here but the last couple of times I’ve been here there’s been kids chasing each other with knives,” says Harinder. “They all stand up in the car park area. It’s a real shame really.”

It’s the hottest July day on record - 36.7C

Just like that, the temperature has soared at Heathrow to make this the hottest day in July since records began. That’s 0.2C higher than 2006’s record.

The hottest day in the UK ever recorded was 38.5C on 10th August 2003 in Faversham, Kent.

Updated

36C recorded at Heathrow

We’re edging closer to record-breaking temperatures... but we’re not there yet.

The hottest temperature on record for the month of July is 36.5C at Wisley, Surrey on 19 July 2006.

Perfect weather for a dip for the Serpentine Swimming Club in Hyde Park.
Perfect weather for a dip for the Serpentine Swimming Club in Hyde Park. Photograph: Rob Stothard/Getty Images

Muslims fasting for Ramadan might be suffering a lot in today’s heat, particularly seeing as observers avoid any fluids.

Shakyh Abdul Hussain of the East London Mosque told me that Muslims should always break their fast if they feel seriously ill, and seek medical attention.

Men attend the first Friday prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the East London Mosque on June 19.
Men attend the first Friday prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the East London Mosque on June 19. Photograph: Rob Stothard/Getty Images

“However, if one is experiencing minor difficulties, like a light migraine or headache, they should try rest, but keep fasting until sunset,” he said.

Non-Muslim employers should try to be compassionate, possibly offering reduced working hours for Muslim colleagues and employees that can be made up for after Ramadan is over.

“Muslims are usually up late during Ramadan, engaging in special night prayers, hence the consideration from employers will go a long way,” he said. “Non-Muslims should also note, they can eat in-front of a Muslim who is fasting, and this won’t offend, as long as it is not done in an insensitive way.”

Muslims who are worried about a hot day ahead can prepare during the breaking of the fast, Iftar time, to make sure they are properly hydrated.

“Make sure you are consuming between 1.5 litres to 2 litres of water from Iftar to the end of suhur, the pre-dawn meal,” he advised. “The best fluid to drink is plain water, but it can be mixed with squash. Fruit juices and milk are also good to stay hydrated.

“Dates and fruits are good, and an ideal first source of replenishing glucose used during the fast.”

A selfie in Scarborough.
A selfie in Scarborough. Photograph: Andrew McCaren/LNP

Bring out the barbecues...
Bring out the barbecues... Photograph: Ned Wiggins/REX Shutterstock

A glorious picture here from Warwick Castle, a knight cools off with an ice cream as temperatures soar into the 30s. Not entirely sure of the mechanics of eating a triple scoop with a full metal helmet and visor, but...

How are you going to eat that? A knight at Warwick Castle attempts eating an ice cream
How are you going to eat that? A knight at Warwick Castle attempts eating an ice cream Photograph: Warwick Castle

The knights are busy preparing for a new show, The Great Joust, which runs twice-daily throughout August.

Lunchtime in Soho Square in London’s west end.
Lunchtime in Soho Square in London’s west end. Photograph: Rob Stothard/Getty Images

Cartwheels on the riverbank in Derbyshire
Cartwheels on the riverbank in Derbyshire. Photograph: Ned Wiggins/REX Shutterstock

Updated

Scotland has been enjoying glorious heat, reaching a mighty 28.1C in Drumnadrochit in the Highlands, but forecasters have warned of possible severe weather later today.

The Met Office has issued a warning for potential disruption in southern Scotland caused by isolated thunderstorms and downpours, which could include gusts of 50mph and large hail of around 1cm in diameter.

Spokeswoman Laura Young said: “We’ve got a warning out for potential thundery downpours in southern Scotland but these will be very, very isolated and there’s lots of uncertainty about where they will actually hit.

“At the end of the day it’s still a good bright summer day with one or two showers.”

The Guardian’s Scotland reporter Libby Brooks says it’s starting to cloud over in Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens.

The donkeys were loving the heat on Weston-super-Mare beach, according to Anne Mager, who has been tending to the long-eared beasts here for half a century.

“They thrive in the hot weather,” said Mager. “They regulate their temperatures really well, they don’t sweat like horses. I think they actively enjoy the heat.”

Steven Morris talks to Anne Mager in Weston-super-Mare

Just as well, because it was a hot and sticky day in north Somerset. The first family arrived on the beach and set up camp before 9am. The had to scatter when the sky blackened and large raindrops thudded onto the warm sand.

But the beach lovers were soon back.By lunchtime, as the temperature climbed towards 30C, hundreds were enjoying the beach.

“We love the heat,” said Mike Burnstone, who drove down from Gloucestershire with his two toddlers. “As soon as we saw it was going to be warm today we decided we’d make a day of it – ice cream, fish and chips, the works.”

There are more than a few truants here too. “We’ve taken the kids out of school,” said Jess, on the beach with three school-age boys. “This sort of weather doesn’t come very often, you have to take advantage. We often used to take a week off and go abroad at this time of year.

“The school doesn’t let us do that now but I don’t mind the boys skiving off now and then. Life’s too short – you have to enjoy yourself. You have to rebel.”

Of course, some people go a little too far. Among them, a young man and woman who were rescued by the RNLI after being found clinging to the underside of the Birnbeck Pier in Weston.

The shops were doing a brisk trade in ice-creams, chips and floppy sun hats. But not all shopkeepers were convinced such hot weather is a good thing.

One shopkeeper, a purveyor of sticks of rock and saucy postcards, said: “It’s got too hot, too quick. I’ve seen it all before. People just want to get out in it and stay in it for too long and drink too much.

“By this afternoon the oldies will be collapsing because of the heat, by this evening the young ones will be collapsing because of the drink. I’ve seen it all before.”

Updated

The reindeer at Rent a Reindeer in Seaham, County Durham get sprayed to cool them down.
The reindeer at Rent a Reindeer in Seaham, County Durham get sprayed to cool them down. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

UN urges countries to develop better warning systems for hot weather

The United Nations has urged countries to create better warning systems as a heatwave sweeping western Europe saw temperatures reach 40C.

In the west of France, in Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, there was a massive power cut which saw between 600,000 and a million homes left without electricity between Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday morning after high temperatures affected power equipment.

State authorities said it was “exceptional” for the weather to have such repercussions on power supply to homes.

Temperatures in Paris are expected to hit 39C on Wednesday afternoon, after south-west France saw temperatures of 42C and Córdoba in southern Spain recorded nearly 44C.

A man walks by a fountain of the Jardin des Plantes in Toulouse.
A man walks by a fountain of the Jardin des Plantes in Toulouse. Photograph: Pascal Pavani/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s more on the heatwave affecting the rest of Europe.

Updated

A chimp cools off with an ice lolly at Chester Zoo
A chimp cools off with an ice lolly at Chester Zoo. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

From Guardian Money, Isabel Baylis reports that Britain’s biggest supermarket chain Tesco has made preparations for an anticipation barbecue bonanza tonight and over the weekend.

Tesco has bought in extra bangers
Tesco has bought in extra bangers Photograph: Alamy

It is stocking up with two million packs of BBQ sausages and an extra one million burgers, according to spokeswoman Suzanne Eldridge. Extra shelf space has been cleared for “BBQ foods, beer and wine.”

The supermarket also expects its customers to down nearly 250,000 bottles of Pimms over the week.

Updated

Lukas and Rosa enjoy the fountain on the Southbank of the River Thames in London.
Lukas and Rosa enjoy the fountain on the Southbank of the River Thames in London. Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP

It’s looking overcast here in central London - though it’s still pretty hot outside.

One GuardianWitness contributor, Justin Gale, recommends always catching your rays early in the day, to avoid burning in the midday sun, or running the risk that the clouds may come. Here’s his lovely early morning picture from Avon gorge.

Get-up early to make the most of the sunny weather before the heat arrives - here is the view from my local station of the Avon gorge early this morning. Lovely.

A group of young people on Bournemouth beach.
A group of young people on Bournemouth beach. Photograph: Greg Blatchford/Barcroft Media

The Australian Open is trolling Wimbledon spectators.

Hottest day in nine years

Britain is experiencing its hottest day in nine years. Temperatures have hit 34.5C at Northolt in west London and could still hit 35C. Most of Britain will see the mercury rise to between 30C and 33C .

Crowds make the most of the sunny weather near to the pier on Bournemouth beach, Dorset, England.
Crowds make the most of the sunny weather near to the pier on Bournemouth beach, Dorset, England. Barcroft Media Photograph: Greg Blatchford/Barcroft Media

Bookmakers Coral have slashed the odds on it being Britain’s hottest ever summer from 4-1 to 3-1.

They said chances a hosepipe ban will be introduced somewhere in the UK is an odds-on favourite at 1-3.

Updated

Hats and suncream at Henley Regatta
Hats and suncream at Henley Regatta. Photograph: Geoffrey Swaine/REX Shutterstock

What should wear in a heatwave to look hot and keep cool? Start with your feet, our fashion team suggest.

Green sandals, £110, dune.co.uk
Green sandals, £110, dune.co.uk Melanie Wilkinson Photograph: Melanie Wilkinson for the Guardian

Teva’s foam and velcro hiking sandals inspired the footwear at Burberry’s most recent catwalk show, despite costing £35 and being a comfortable favourite of tourists in the Lake District.

If your tastes are more elegant, espadrilles’ soft roped soles are bang on-trend. Chanel and Saint Laurent have luxe versions for around the £300 mark, although you can pick them up for £10 at ASOS.

If it looks like rain, Wimbledon-appropriate plimsolls can take it. Wear with Falke’s low-cut “invisible” socks to flash a cooling sliver of ankle.

Updated

Asthma sufferers have been cautioned to take care if the hot weather front carries over some of the Saharan sand which many Brits noticed covering their cars last year.

Kay Boycott, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, said: “In April 2014 during the last Saharan dust storm, almost a third of people with asthma we surveyed had had an asthma attack and 85% reported using their blue reliever inhaler more than usual.

“Half of people said they had avoided going outside and 40% sought advice about managing their asthma.”

Storms, forecast for this evening, can cause high levels of mould and pollen spores to be swept up into the atmosphere and broken down into smaller participles, which can cause problems if they are breathed into the smaller airways of the lungs.

Vicky Barber from the British Lung Foundation Helpline said sufferers should avoid going out in the midday heat. “During hot weather, the air we breathe has lower moisture levels than usual, which can have a drying effect on our airways,” she said.

“As a result, people with respiratory conditions such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or severe asthma may find it harder to breathe, feel more tired, or find their lungs feeling heavy or tight.”

It’s lunchtime, so what’s the best way to keep cool?

These seem like better suggestions...

A couple sunbathing on the promenade in Blackpool.
A couple sunbathing on the promenade in Blackpool. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

How has the UK historically coped with a heatwave? My colleague Jason Rodrigues has been looking through the Guardian archive for the warmest days we reported.

This headline made an appearance in 1990.

The Guardian's headline from 1990.
The Guardian’s headline from 1990. Photograph: The Guardian

The earliest was a sweltering 36.7C in Manchester on August 10 1911. A meteorological correspondent writing for the Manchester Guardian told readers how ‘torrid’ conditions were in London, the only relief being a gentle breeze from the north.

Updated

Meet the UK’s hottest man (probably).

TNT driver Jim Barker stuck in Operation Stack on the M20.
TNT driver Jim Barker stuck in Operation Stack on the M20. Photograph: Jim Barker

TNT’s Jim Barker reports from the M20 motorway in Kent where he has been stuck for more than 24 hours because of delays caused by a French strike.

They’re treating us like idiots. There’s no information. The last time I moved was 15 hours and five minutes ago.

It’s getting very hot. But the camaraderie is good at the moment, people are sharing stuff. I’ve been talking to a Hungarian driver who doesn’t speak a word of English, but who speaks a German and I speak a bit of German. We’re sharing cigarettes, and food and jokes.

We are a two-man crew and my esteemed colleague Colin has gone off with Google Maps looking for a shop in a town about a mile a way.

This is the full story.

Over on GuardianWitness, we’ve heard from more staying cool tips from people living in genuinely hot countries, occasionally incredulous as they are that we would call our hottest day of the year hot.

I'm London-born but grew up in Australia, and it's actually laughable how terrible Britain is at coping with a concept that does actually come around every single year.Let me know when it's 47 degrees outside and the sky's brown from bushfires. That's hot.

Get a cooling spray for your face though, it'll calm any burns or heatrash and keep your skin hydrated and cool. A godsend!

These days I live in the Gulf. Yesterday it was 40 degrees, 48 in my car. Driving tips: open windows & run the AC for a few minutes (not much AC in UK, cold fan will do) I then put on my white cotton gloves from Boots the Chemist. Look like Princess Anne but nevermind. They allow me to hold the burning steering wheel & protect my hands from dread sun spots.

My father in law is from Cyprus and passed on to us simple low-tech tips, which we've adapted for British homes. Here's how:

1) In the evening, open windows and doors to let cool air in. Leave open as many as you can overnight. (If it's staggeringly hot and you have net curtains, spray them with cold water.)

2) In the morning, before the air outside warms up again, shut the windows and close the curtains. This will keep out hot air and go some way towards stopping the sun from heating the cool air in your house. Not as efficient as shutters, but pretty good.

I live in Istanbul (where we have just had the wettest June since the Big Bang) but generally Turkey is very hot in the Summer. I've found that doing these things help a lot: Drink water (we Brits tend to go for fizzy drinks/beer - water with a twist of lemon juice is perfect) - a cup every hour, but don't go drinking 10 pints! ; Factor 50 sun block replaced every hour (my mum once came here and said she was extra prepared with a factor 10. My Turkish wife was on 30; A hat - I still remember the first time I ran a comb through my hair and screamed; seconded the comments about doing everything a little slower; finally - just go indoors between 11 and 4. The evenings are long in the UK and you can still have a great morning followed by a snooze followed by a lovely relaxed evening! Stay cool everyone...


Also some sage advice from someone closer to home...

Drink plenty of water, shower, stay in the shade and go slow. Take time to check on any elderly neighbors and make sure they are ok. And don't forget to put a bowl of water out for our furry and feathered friends.

Heathrow tries to keep its cool

And we don’t mean about the Sir Howard Davies report into a third runway.

The Guardian’s Caroline Davies has more on the hottest spots around the UK.

Early morning swim in the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park in London
Early morning swim in the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park in London. Photograph: Rob Stothard/Getty Images

Updated

Today is Reading’s hottest day since records began in 1908, according to the university’s atmospheric observatory – more than 2 degrees hotter than the previous 9am record.

Dr Roger Brugge of the Meteorology department said:

After an overnight minimum temperature of 18.5C, the temperature climbed rapidly to 30.6 °C by 10am on the 1st of July.

This was 2.2C higher at that time of day than had ever been recorded previously at the university in any month. The previous record at the University was 28.4 °C on 10 August 2003, which went on to be the hottest day ever in the UK, and in Reading.

People flock to Portishead Open Air Pool to take a dip and cool off on the hottest day of the year so far, in Bristol
People flock to Portishead Open Air Pool to take a dip and cool off on the hottest day of the year so far, in Bristol Photograph: SWNS.com

Updated

Bring in heat rules for Wimbledon mens' matches, says Judy Murray

Wimbledon has laid on extra water points and reduced capacity in the ground for a second day in anticipation of what could be the hottest temperatures in the tournament’s history.

The roof of Centre Court has been closed this morning to protect the grass, though officials said it would never close to protect players and spectators from the intense heat once play has started.

Spectators squeeze between courts four and five during day Three of the Wimbledon Championships.
Spectators squeeze between courts four and five during day Three of the Wimbledon Championships. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
A spectator keeps hold of her sunhat as she enters The All England Tennis Club.
A spectator keeps hold of her sunhat as she enters The All England Tennis Club. Photograph: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Judy Murray, mother of the British number one Andy, said that she would welcome the introduction of a “heat rule” - by which play is stopped in very high temperatures to give the players a 10 minute break - in men’s matches to bring them into line with the women’s tour.

“I think the men should adopt it as well,” she said, while handing out coffees to spectators in the queue. “Especially because they have to play best of five sets and a slam is such a tough thing to play.

“I know you get a day between the matches but if you’re going to win a slam you need to win seven matches in 13 days.”

Volunteers from St John’s ambulance were braced for another busy day treating tennis fans for heat-related problems, after 125 spectators required treatment on Tuesday, two of whom were hospitalised.

A spokesman for the All England Club said extra parasols were being laid on to protect staff required to stand in the sun for long periods, and urged people coming to the ground to take particular care.

By 9am those in the lengthy, snaking queue in the golf course adjacent to the ground were already seeking what shelter they could find, with some holding blankets over their heads for a small scrap of shade.

“We’re from Australia so we’re used to it,” said Anne Iron from Brisbane, standing under a hat and umbrella alongside her daughter Jane, who lives in London.

“We just know how to prepare,” she said, explaining that that meant “lots of sun cream, lots of water, take a brolly, wear a hat.”

Britons had got better at preparing for hot weather, said her daughter, but “I love how people say they have a bit of colour, when they are actually sun burnt.

“They like the heat for about two days and then they start complaining.”

Gravesend in Kent has historically been, quite literally, a hotspot for record-breaking temperatures.

That’s because Broadness - where the temperatures are measured - has sandy soil, rather than the clay soil nearby. By its nature, it heats up more than other soils, and the weather station is sheltered by an embankment.

Intrepid Guardian reporter Josh Halliday has ventured there.

One of the key messages from Public Health England today is to offer help to those who might not cope too well with the heat, elderly people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

PHE has called on people to check on those they know might have more problems adapting their clothing, keeping their homes cool or increasing how much water they drink. “All of us will know someone who might have more difficulty coping with the heat,” Angie Bone, who is in charge of extreme events and health protection at PHE, told me. “Give them a call, check on them to see if they are having problems and help them adapt.”

Speaking earlier today on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Professor James Goodwin, head of research at Age UK, said older people, over the age of 75, need to be careful when trying to cool down.

“You’re less likely to be able to control your body temperature very well, the heart doesn’t respond to the demands made on it, and you can’t balance salt and water too well,” he said. “All these three add up to a high degree of vulnerability.”

Splashing cold water on face or hands in order to cool down can be a problem for older people, and could even make them feel hotter, Goodwin added.

“When the skin perceives the cold water coming on it it shuts down and sends all the hot blood back in the body, therefore raising the temperature,” he said, advising the use of “tepid water and a fan.”

Updated

Jenny and Flora(right) prepare for a sunny day at Wimbledon today
Jenny and Flora (right) prepare for a sunny day at Wimbledon today. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

On the hottest day of the year, a surreal experience awaits behind closed doors at a swanky venue off Trafalgar Square, where Marks & Spencer is (bizarrely) showing off the weird and wonderful Christmas grub it hopes will be flying off the shelves in December.

Top picks among the 350 new food and drink products include a 2015 makeover for the humble sprout in the so-called Brussels Sprout Banger - what the retailer claims is a great way to sneak the veg past ‘sprout avoiders.”

The Guardian is heading off there now to taste not only mince pies and turkey but also the UK’s first ever fizzy crisps made from Prosecco and with a hint of pink and glitter sparkle.

Hic! We’ll be reporting back soon…

The hottest temperatures across the world

The highest temperatures expected around the world.
The highest temperatures expected around the world. Photograph: The Guardian

The expected highs of 36C mean that London will likely be hotter today than plenty of the world’s sunshine spots, including Miami, LA, Rome, Hong Kong and Barcelona.

The peak temperature in Rio is set to be 27C but bear in mind that it’s currently winter in Brazil.

The UK’s capital will not be the hottest in Europe though, with Madrid expecting 37C and Paris 38C.

However, those in Kingston-upon-Thames can boast that it is a good one degree hotter than Kingston in Jamaica.

Predicting the weather can be a tricky business. Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant has more on how you can check how today will pan out.

As well as your handy heatwave tips, we’re also looking for your sweltering summer pics, which you can share via GuardianWitness.
Our first photo comes from a car dashboard Stoke Newington in north London, rumoured to be a stronghold of Guardian reading types. Yes, that’s quite hot.

Hitting the highs in North London....

What are the best jobs to have in a heatwave? Surfing instructor, festival co-ordinator, ice cream taster?

Charlotte Abercrombie, 3, enjoys ice cream in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Charlotte Abercrombie, 3, enjoys ice cream in Stratford-upon-Avon. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

We’ve been asking the people who actually do those jobs what it’s like to do the jobs we all wish we had today.

This is genius from Guardian Australia’s national security reporter Paul Farrell, a homemade air conditioner made from an “esky”.

Google informs me that “esky” is a particular Australian brand of portable cool box, which has become slang for cool boxes in general.

We don’t have a slang term for that here, seeing as our cool boxes sit for most of the year gathering dust in a cupboard.

The sun rises over fishermen setting off for a day’s fishing on the North Sea from Cullercoats on Tyneside
The sun rises over fishermen setting off for a day’s fishing on the North Sea from Cullercoats on Tyneside. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

Currys/ PC World has revealed that sales of fans are up 700% week on week.

Superdrug has seen sales of suncare rise by 26% (compared to this time last year) and is predicting sales to rise by an additional 20% this week. The drugstore’s own brand Solait SPF50 suncream is the best seller, with the retailer announcing that it is selling a bottle every 30 seconds.

For those who presumably want to pretend they weren’t inside an office throughout the entire heatwave, fake tan sales are also up 12%.

Spectators put on suncream, during day two of the Wimbledon Championships.
Spectators put on suncream, during day two of the Wimbledon Championships. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

Love the solidarity here, from the Guardian Australia homepage.

The weather this morning in Glasgow, though warm, has been struggling to brighten but the sun may now be finally breaking through the cloud.

Although Scots traditionally require scant excuse to discard their habitual layers, it is still some way from ‘pure taps off’ (vernacular meaning, approximately, ‘definitively and without a shred of doubt the appropriate temperature for removing one’s shirt’]).

I’ve even seen one man in full kilt dress, although he told me he was going to a wedding.

The ‘taps aff’ phenomenon is so rare in Glasgow that there is even a website dedicated to alerting the public if the more likely scenario of ‘taps oan’ has changed.

Officially the hottest day of the year

It’s just gone 10am and it’s already officially the UK’s warmest day this year, according to the Met Office.

The hottest place in Britain yesterday was Northolt, 30.5C yesterday. Right now, it’s 31.3C.

But Heathrow has overtaken it, and is officially the hottest place in Britain as it stands - 32.3C. It’s taking some political heat too...

It’s the hottest topic on Twitter, #hottestdayoftheyear is the top trending topic in the United Kingdom.

Is it sexist to ask women if they are “beach body ready” for when the weather’s warm?

Not according to the Advertising Standards Agency, who release their report on this controversial advert today.

A Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London.
A Protein World advert displayed in an underground station in London. Photograph: Catherine Wylie/PA

The ASA said: “We considered the claim ‘Are you beach body ready?’ prompted readers to think about whether they were in the shape they wanted to be for the summer and we did not consider the accompanying image implied a different body shape to that shown was not good enough or was inferior. We concluded that the headline and image were unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.”

It added that while the central question invited readers to think about their figures, “we did not consider the image of the model would shame women who had different body shapes into believing they needed to take a slimming supplement to feel confident wearing swimwear in public”.

This could be the hottest day in Wimbledon’s history. Could that mean a sexism row?

The tennis tournament has a controversial new rule which allows women, but not men, to take 10-minute breaks if a certain temperature is reached. Men cannot take breaks, even if they ask to.

Andrew Jarrett, the Wimbledon referee, said in a statement: “The heat rule allows a 10-minute break between the second and third set when the heat stress index is at or above 30.1 Celsius. Only one of the players participating in the match needs to request the break for the rule to be implemented.”

The hottest ever day recorded at the tournament was 34.6C on 26 June 1976. But these spectators don’t look as if they want it to get much hotter than the 30C it was yesterday.

Hot spectators on the centre court at Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
Hot spectators on the centre court at Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Photograph: Ray Tang/REX Shutterstock
Spectators fan themselves as they watch the action on day two of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.
Spectators fan themselves as they watch the action on day two of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships. Photograph: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

It’s not perfect weather across the UK by any means. Our south west England correspondent Steven Morris has been tweeting from the beach in Weston-super-Mare, where sun-seekers have had their morning somewhat scuppered.

#GuardianWitness: How the world keeps cool in the heat

Yes, world, we do know how a lot of places around the globe don’t explode at the first sign of sunlight. We’re just a bit ill-equipped. We don’t have air conditioning. Milky tea is our national drink. So help us out?

Over on #GuardianWitness, we’ve been collecting advice from readers living in hot countries on what they do to cope in the heat, while they also take the time to give us variations of “you call that hot?” In my country this would be considered mild and I’d be considering putting on a jumper.”

I grew up in South Africa where summers can be very hot and winters mild. You learn to keep cool in the following ways: be economic with your body movements - there is no need to rush around or unnecessarily flap your appendages about, or even walk and talk. Fewer, more fluid movements keep your body temperature down, so practice the art of slow and necessary movement. Place a bowl of ice cubes underneath a portable fan, or drape a cold tea towel rung out in ice water over the protective grid to make sure the fan blows cool air around. Remember that heat rises, so it is cooler nearer the floor and sit / lie down there rather than sitting in chairs or standing up. Do most things that involve using body energy in the cooler times of the day ie eating or exercising in the early morning or late evening. Have a cool shower before bed and go to bed with wet hair. This keeps your head cool at night and you wake up with nice dry hair in the morning. The key to handling hot weather is just to go with its flow.

I live in Taipei where it regularly reaches 35-36 C in the summer. "Man man lai" means roughly "take your time". People in the UK tend to walk at a much faster pace than people in east Asia, this isn't a great idea when its so hot. Take your time, slow down. If your walking to the bus, or Tube etc. allow yourself more time. It might not seem like a big deal, but a slow walk can stop you heating up as much.

I lived in South Asia for many years & learned this trick for when you're feeling dehydrated & dizzy. Find your way to a roadside dhabba/restaurant with salt & pepper shakers on the table. Whilst waiting for your drink to arrive, separate the layers of a paper napkin & lie one ply piece on the table. Pour a small amount of salt into the middle & twist. Tear off the remaining tissue and you have a nugget sized, tasteless 'salt bomp'. Knock this back with a glass of sweet lime soda & within ten minutes you are refreshed & ready for whatever Mother India has in store for you. These days I suffer from low blood pressure & use this for dizzy spells. Works brilliantly.

Get a 2 metre long piece of thin cotton. Put one end 30 cm down your neck / back and over the top of your head. Lean forward and twist the remaining length round your head about 3 times and tuck the end in. keeps you cool and provides shade for eyes and neck protection. Used from Morocco to the far East for thousands of years. For real heat, soak it in water and wring out. Evaporation means refrigeration...!!!

Do you live in a hot country? You can contribute via #GuardianWitness here.

Updated

Leaves on the line, snow, high winds, they seem pretty understandable reasons for train delays. Hot weather, really?

Perhaps anticipating some disbelief, Network Rail actually made a video and a very detailed explainer.

Rail lines which are in direct sunshine can heat up to 20C above the air temperature. The steel lines expand as they heat up, although they are installed with expansion gaps to allow for some movement on hot days.

But if the steel has expanded enough already to fill the gap, the lines experience compression. In extreme cases the tracks can buckle, making it impossible to run trains and impossible to repair until the steel tracks cool.

This is what’s happening on the trains on Wednesday.

Southeastern is imposing speed restrictions across many parts of its network during the afternoon and evening. People might wish to avoid travelling between 1pm and 7pm, it suggests. The company says in a statement: “This is likely to cause disruption to trains although we will be aiming to run all services.”

First Great Western services between Bourne End / Marlow and Maidenhead are experiencing some disruption. Some late afternoon London Paddington to Bourne End services will now terminate at Maidenhead, and a separate train shuttle will take Bourne End passengers the rest of the way. High Speed train services are expected to run as normal, however there may be delays as services past through the vulnerable area and some services may be cancelled to protect the evening peak. In addition, FGW is providing over 30 extra timetabled train services to support the Henley Royal Regatta.

Greater Anglia services have had speed restrictions imposed between 11:00 and 20:00. Because of this, services between London Liverpool Street and Colchester, Ipswich and Southend Victoria may be disrupted, Network Rail said.

Virgin Trains East Coast are running a reduced service between Leeds and London Kings Cross because of speed restrictions on the East Coast main line. Customers with tickets for the cancelled services may travel on the train immediately before or after their booked service. Passengers who no longer wish to travel are entitled to a full refund, and you can check which ones are affected here.

Updated

Wednesday’s weather forecast

Here’s what the forecast is for weather around the country.

The Press Association’s Meteogroup says:

A very hot and humid day for many with plenty of sunshine. Thunderstorms will break out, these most likely in Wales and western parts of both England and Scotland, although isolated thundery showers are possible elsewhere too.

Thunderstorms will continue to track north-east, leaving many areas dry with clear periods. However, a few further thundery showers may move into southern counties of England during the early hours. A warm and muggy night.

The Met Office predicts:

Many parts will enjoy a fine day with sunny spells. Despite this, isolated thunderstorms may develop, mainly across central and western parts and perhaps becoming more widespread across northern England and Scotland later. Widely hot, but locally very hot.

Tonight, thunderstorms across northern areas moving north, clearing most parts by dawn. Largely dry and clear elsewhere before thundery showers push north across some southern areas later. Warm and muggy.

Waking up around the country, people are already feeling the heat as they make their way to work.

This weather is so unusual in Britain that a lot of people on Twitter are taking screengrabs of the weather forecast and the temperature on their car dashboards, because that’s how you prove it really happened.

Welcome to summer

Good morning, slap on some suncream and pack a hat, Britain is expected to have its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with temperatures predicted to reach 34C (93F).

The hottest day so far was Tuesday, when parts of mainland Britain saw the mercury rise to 30.5C, while Jersey had a blistering 33C.

This exceptionally hot spell, now entering its third day, is caused by a warm front and a tropical continental air mass from Europe, possibly bringing a sprinkling of Sahara sand that could see Britons dusting their cars later.

High temperatures may trigger thunderstorms in parts of the Midlands and northern England and Scotland on Wednesday.

The hottest place in mainland Britain was in Northolt, a west London suburb, but the Met Office recorded 33C in the Jersey’s largest town, St Helier. Last Friday was previously recorded as the hottest day of the year, with temperatures of 27.8C in Gravesend, Kent. The highest recorded July temperature was at Wisley, Surrey, in 2006, where the mercury peaked at 36.5C.

On Tuesday, Network Rail took precautions to prevent railway lines from buckling in the sweltering heat, with several fast trains from London Paddington cancelled and some trains instructed to run at slower speeds in vulnerable locations.

The warm conditions at Wimbledon, where temperatures reached 29.3C, forced officials to reduce capacity to allow fans to cope.

The temperature will get cooler on Thursday before rising to 30C again on Saturday.

We’ll be liveblogging handy heatwave hints, the best sunbathing spots as well as any disruption caused by the heat throughout the day.

Thanks for reading, and have fun in the sun.

Updated

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