Thunderstorms and torrential rain batter the South-East as extreme heat warning enters fifth day after 37.3C record-breaking heatwave
Thunderstorms and torrential rain are set to batter parts of south-east England as an amber warning for extreme heat enters its fifth day following a record-breaking June heatwave.The Met Office has warned that heavy downpours and thunderstorms could develop as temperatures begin to ease after three consecutive days in which the UK's June temperature record was broken.And thunder and lightning were reported and captured on camera in places including Kent and Eastbourne in East Sussex in today's early hours. Friday was confirmed as the UK's hottest June day on record, with a provisional temperature of 37.3C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk, surpassing the 36.7C recorded in Merryfield, Somerset, on Thursday.Those temperatures smashed the long-standing June record of 35.6C, set in the summer of 1976, by more than 1C – a significant margin given such records have historically been broken only by fractions of a degree.Scientists warned that the heatwave would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago, with human-driven climate change fuelling more intense and frequent extreme heat events.A drop in temperatures will develop in the west at first, with these fresher conditions spreading slowly further east over the course of the weekend.An amber warning of extreme heat remains in place from midnight until 9pm on Saturday across the south east of England and East Anglia. Thunderstorms and torrential rain are set to batter parts of south-east England as an amber warning for extreme heat enters its fifth day following a record-breaking June heatwave. Pictured: Lightning in Kent on Saturday morning Pictured: The night sky in Kent on Saturday morning was illuminated during a thunderstorm Thunder and lightning were also reported and captured on camera in Eastbourne, East Sussex People swim in the lido at Hampstead Heath, London, on Friday Hot weather continued to affect daily life as high temperatures persisted across the London on Friday A woman drinks from a fountain in Greenwich Park, London, on Friday A man holds two pints as he walks next to the River Great Ouse in Ely on Friday Swimmers enjoying the water at Charlton Lido in south-east London on Friday Pictured: People breaking the rules and swimming in the ponds of Hampstead Heath on Friday A person using a fan while making an early morning trip towards the centre of Bristol on Friday Park-goers drink and fill water bottles at a fountain during hot weather in London A woman uses an umbrella to shield herself from the sun in London A woman uses a fan to keep cool during the heatwave in London People drink water during an early morning journey across the centre of Bristol People enjoy the hot weather in Edinburgh on FridayMet Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: 'The UK is seeing a gradual shift in conditions over the weekend, with those to the southeast of England retaining the warmth the longest, where an amber extreme heat warning remains in force through much of Saturday, though peaks are more likely to be in the low 30s Celsius.'Western parts of Scotland and much of Northern Ireland will see rain for a time on Saturday, with showers likely spreading further south in places on Sunday, though these will be fairly light in nature.Those to the south east could remain dry through the weekend, although there is a risk of thunderstorms here before temperatures return more towards average later on Sunday and into Monday.The Met Office said next week will bring a mixed picture for the UK's weather, with a combination of cloudy and sunny spells, as well as influxes of rain from the west at times.The heatwave was driven by a 'heat-dome' – an area of high pressure that stalls over a region and traps heat – settling over western Europe and bringing extreme conditions across the continent.This has been compounded by human-driven climate change, mostly caused by burning fossil fuels, which is making such extreme heatwaves more frequent and intense.Health chiefs warned of the impact the conditions were having on services this week as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls.Hundreds of schools and nurseries have been forced to close and a hosepipe ban was brought in for Kent amid surging demand.Several hospitals have declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments.Train passengers were urged to avoid non-essential travel across much of England on Friday, with Network Rail saying services operating in the Met Office's red and amber zones should only be used 'if absolutely necessary'.Courts were also affected, with the cells at Bristol Crown Court closed because of the heat and defendants moved to Bristol Magistrates' Court where it was thought to be cooler.On Friday as temperatures hit 31C in Wiltshire, English Heritage said Stonehenge would shut early because the conditions were unsafe for staff and visitors.This was despite the Neolithic site being located outside the amber and red extreme heat warnings issued by the Met Office today as the heatwave continues.Tourists heading to the attraction were advised to 'bring plenty of water, take breaks as needed, and consider the warm conditions if you're planning to bring your dog'.But some of those responding to the announcement by Stonehenge on Facebook were unimpressed, with one saying: 'Pathetic. Do you think the Colosseum closes when it gets past 30C?' Another wrote: 'Quit being so soft, it's summer.'Other attractions closed due to the heat in London on Friday included Tower Bridge, the Young V&A, the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory. Marwell Zoo in Hampshire shut, as did more than a dozen restaurants in London and some Greggs stores around the UK.At Hampstead Heath, where the ponds offer a place to cool down, rule breakers have sparked fury by turning wildlife havens into their own private diving ground.Ponds preserved for hundreds of years to protect nesting ducks and swans and their habitats in north-west London have been invaded by impatient swimmers not wanting to pay a small fee or book online to use mandated swimming spots just yards away. A woman feels the heat as she sits in the sun at Greenwich Park in south-east London on Friday A woman on Westminster Bridge takes a picture of an ice cream in the sweltering heat on Friday People cool off at Warleigh Weir near Bath in Somerset on Friday as the heatwave continues Children from Grasmere School in Cumbria are taught maths, physics and water safety on Friday Sisters Julia (left) and Claire Bottoms at Sea Lanes Canary Wharf in east London on Friday Stonehenge shut early on Friday because of the heatwave conditions. Pictured: A lightning storm over Stonehenge in Wiltshire in the early hours of Friday People fill their water bottles at a fountain during hot weather in London on FridayThe culprits are all ages and genders, according to two security guards hired by the council to man the crowds of up to 50 people who swarm the pond after work at 5pm.Two huge 'No swimming' signs are not enough to deter crowds of sun seekers from spoiling the nature by diving in. Security guards stand watch all day but say they are powerless to actually catch people without the ability to hand out fines or penalties.Now, council officials at the City of London Corporation have even put up barbed wire around the pond's perimeter in a bid to physically bar people from entering the water.A video obtained by the Daily Mail which was taken on Tuesday, when temperatures hit 34.6C in South-East England, showed around 20 people swimming into the pond and using the water pumps as flotation devices.
