Met Office bosses say the UK could have had its hottest day ever.
The country basked - and struggled - in sweltering weather on Thursday, but the Met Office initially said the mercury stopped short of setting a new record.
Now it appears Thursday was the hottest day ever after all.
A temperature of 38.7C - 101.7F - recorded on Thursday at Cambridge University Botanic Garden was submitted to the National Climate Centre at the Met Office today, Friday.
It's now in the process of being verified.
If validated, it would replace the current highest temperature on record for the UK - 38.5C recorded in Faversham, Kent, in August 2003.
A site visit to the attraction in Cambridge is now due to be carried out and temperature monitoring and recording equipment there checked.
A high of 38.1C was announced on Thursday evening.
The Met Office said in a statement on Friday: "Following yesterday's exceptionally hot weather, provisional figures received by the Met Office today could challenge the UK's highest temperature on record.
"Today the Met Office observations team has received a new provisional figure of 38.7 Celsius from Cambridge University Botanic Garden.
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"The current highest temperature on record for the UK is 38.5 Celsius, recorded in Faversham in August 2003.
"The temperature recorded yesterday at Cambridge University Botanic Garden will require quality control and analysis over the next few days and if validated, would become the highest temperature officially recorded in the UK."
Dr Mark McCarthy from the National Climate Centre at the Met Office said: "As the official source of meteorological statistics for the UK, we take the quality of our recordings very seriously.
"We are talking about a potential new record for the highest temperature recorded in the UK and we therefore need to thoroughly investigate the observation with our partners at Cambridge University Botanic Garden through statistical analysis and by visiting, to check the site and equipment and ensure there are no potential problems.
"The Met Office observations team will carefully analyse this figure, along with any other readings submitted over the coming weeks and will keep the public, our partners and government updated."
Thursday was definitely the hottest July day on record.
The heatwave across Europe meant Germany (42.6C), the Netherlands (40.7C) and Belgium (40.6C) all had their highest temperatures on record on Thursday.
It was the hottest day of the year so far in Greater Manchester on Thursday.
Temperatures are thought to have reached record breaking levels, hitting 35.3C just before 4pm.
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