UK weather – live: Met Office warns parts of UK could hit 34C

The latest Met Office forecast suggests several areas of England will seen temperatures break the 30C barrier this afternoon.

According to the updated predictions, London will be at 31C by 2pm, while areas of central England could be 32C

Hot on the heels of the hottest day of the year so far, London is set to record its first official ‘tropical night’ of 2025.

Defined as a night in which the temperature does not drop below 20C, the capital just missed out on the title last night, when temperatures dipped to a low of 17C, according to Met Office data.

But the official forecaster now expects the city to experience the phenomenon two nights running – tonight and Saturday – thanks to the expected heat surge.

Find out more from the London Standard.

The British Heart Foundation has urged anyone suffering from cardiovascular conditions to take extra care in the hot weather due to the increased strain it can put on the heart.

As well as drinking plenty of water and staying in the shade, it also recommends wearing light, loose-fitting clothes and eating cold foods such as salad and fruit.

The UK’s pollen forecast is ‘very high’ for most of the UK, piling the misery on for hay fever sufferers. (Met Office)

Hay fever sufferers are set to be hit by a double whammy of heat and pollen today.

Pollen forecasts from the Met Office are set at ‘very high’ for all bar four regions of the UK.

This is largely expected to continue on Saturday, but is currently expected to have reduced slightly by Sunday.

Check your home’s flood risk and prepare a flood plan and emergency flood kit

Stay safe in a flood zone by ensuring your phone is charged, your car parked in a safe location and knowing how to get to high ground

If you have to drive, take it slow and stick to main roads

Prepare for the possibility of power cuts by stocking up on candles and batteries

Secure large items such as bins, trampolines and garden furniture, which could be blown away by high winds

Household pets, and dogs in particular, can quickly fall prey to the ill effects of hot weather.

Heavy panting, drooling, restlessness and lack of coordination can all indicate your four-legged friend is suffering in the heat.

Fortunately, this can be prevented by ensuring they have plenty of access to shade and water.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms.

The alert covers most of northern England between Nottingham and Newcastle upon Tyne and will be in place between 3pm tomorrow and 4am on Sunday.

Isolated storms are also possible elsewhere across the country,

Setting up your bedroom early can make a huge difference to night time temperatures. (Getty)

It’s no fun trying to get yourself or your family to sleep when the temperatures are surging.

Swathes of the UK which endured the heat last night are expected to endure the same today.

Read more from Yahoo for tips and tricks to help you have a better sleep this time around.

The UK’s fire chiefs have urged the public to be aware of the risk of wildfires during the ongoing summer heat.

Britain’s firefighters have already dealt with more than 500 wildfires this year, most of which are caused by human activity, with cigarettes, matches, glass bottles and unattended fires all capable of sparking major infernos

You can also read more about the risks of wildfires from The Guardian.

Parts of the UK will see temperatures comparable to yesterday, while others will see thunderstorms and heavy showers, the Met Office has said in its latest update to forecasts.

A spokesman for the forecaster said: “Temperatures will remain very warm or even hot today. 32.2C was recorded yesterday at Heathrow and Kew Gardens and we expect to see temperatures to reach similar levels in spots today.

“There is still scope for 32C in eastern or south east England tomorrow, and if we see spells of prolonged sunshine here we could potentially reach 34C in isolated spots. However further west temperatures may be down on today as we start to see a change to the weather with fresher air moving in from west.”

The threshold for what counts as a heatwave varies depending what part of the UK you are in. (PA)

Under the official definition, a heatwave is three consecutive days that exceed a set temperature threshold.

In Scotland, Northern Ireland, western parts of Wales and northern areas of England, this is 25C, rising to 28C in London and surrounding areas.

To find out more about heatwaves, read more from the London Standard.

Campaign group Friends of the Earth has claimed the latest hot weather shows the UK needs to be doing more to combat climate change.

Britain recorded the hottest day of the year so far yesterday and forecasters have raised the prospect of repeating the feat today.

Experts have calculated the surge in temperatures was made 100 times more likely by climate change, prompting Friends of the Earth to call the government’s climate policy “dangerously weak”.

Drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated should be among Britons’ top health priorities during the current spell of hot weather, the NHS has said.

Sitting in the sunshine and drinking alcohol can significantly raise your chances of becoming dehydrated.

You can find out more about staying hydrated in the heat from Yahoo Lifestyle.

The hot weather has prompted questions over water safety in Parliament. (PA)

A Labour MP has called for water safety to be taught in British schools after figures revealed 150 children had died after drowning in the UK in the last three years.

As families prepare to flock to the UK’s waters during this weekend’s warm weather, the MP for Southampton Itchen said current guidance – which says all children are expected to be able to swim 25 metres unaided by the time they leave primary school – does not go far enough, with a quarter of youngsters failing to meet the standard.

Speaking in the House of Commons, he said: “On sunny days like we’re enjoying at the moment, many will rightly want to go and enjoy rivers and beaches, but we have to ensure that we are doing everything we can to make sure that they can do that safely.”

According to the national forecaster, Saturday will see temperatures peak in central and eastern areas of England, possibly rising as high as 34C in some parts.

But by Saturday evening large swathes of Britain will be at the “greatest risk of very large thunderstorms, frequent lightning, large hail, heavy rain and gusty winds”.

However, the Met Office also said it was “too early to say when and where” could be affected.

An MP has branded greyhound racing in the sorts of temperatures experienced by the UK “cruel”.

Much of England is expected to swelter in conditions approaching 30C today and possibly higher tomorrow – but according to the Greyhound Board of Great Britain racing only has to be halted above 33C.

Liz Jarvis, the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, posted on social media about the guidance.

Dogs can be particularly vulnerable to hot weather. (Alamy)

While the high temperatures can be uncomfortable for people, they can be even more dangerous for their pets.

The RSPCA advises walking dogs in the early morning or late evening, when it’s cooler.

It’s also important to ensure they are kept hydrated and have access to cool spaces so they don’t overheat.

Feathers, fascinators, and flamboyant fashion took centre stage as thousands of women dressed to impress for Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot.

Towering headgear inspired by Jane Austen, recycled creations and even fluttering butterflies were some of the designs worn by racing fans.

Check out the best pictures from the Evening Standard of racegoers sweltering in heatwave conditions on Thursday

It is already obvious that some governments are not acting fast enough to keep the planet’s temperature from rising dangerously.

While it is essential to continue to concentrate on reducing methane and carbon dioxide emissions as quickly as possible, other methods of cooling the planet need to be urgently explored, according to academics at the University of Cambridge’s engineering department.

Read the full article from the Guardian here