The UK has experienced the hottest September day since 2016, with temperatures reaching 32C in Kew Gardens, London, the Met Office has said.
High temperatures are forecast to continue into the weekend and will likely peak on Saturday in London, though the north of the UK is expected to be cooler by then.
It has not been this hot since June and while it is unusual for September to see temperatures exceed 30C, it is not unheard of.
This month’s hottest day ever recorded was in 1906 when a temperature of 35.6C was recorded in South Yorkshire.
Climate change is bringing hotter and longer heatwaves with meteorologists projecting that by 2070, 30C on two or more days will become more likely, with southern parts of the UK experiencing this 16 times more frequently than today.
