The UK experienced its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures reaching 35.1°C in Surrey. However, the heatwave is set to be replaced by cooler conditions and thunderstorms, as yellow warnings have been issued for large parts of England.
The Met Office reported that Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales also saw high temperatures, ranging from 26.2°C to 29.4°C. Forecasts suggested that the UK's all-time temperature record of 38.5°C, set in Kent in August 2003, could be beaten on Friday, with 37°C expected in southern, eastern, and central England.
Despite the heat, thunderstorm warnings are in place across the East and West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, and Yorkshire until 21:00 BST on Thursday. Another warning will come into force for large parts of England between 14:00 and 23:45 on Friday, with potential rainfall of up to 30mm in an hour and 60mm in three hours.
The high temperatures have caused disruptions, including delays to cross-Channel rail services of up to five hours due to air conditioning problems. The RAC reported a 15-20% increase in breakdowns, with London seeing a 25% rise. London's fire chief called for a ban on barbecues in parks after a record number of grass fires, and a high pollution warning was issued for the capital.
Healthcare workers have been affected, with the Royal College of Nursing reporting nurses suffering from dizziness and exhaustion. One nurse was admitted to A&E with dehydration after working three consecutive 12-hour shifts. NHS Providers noted that some hospitals were experiencing winter-like conditions, with record A&E admissions leading to delays for planned operations.
