Image source, PA Media

The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has urged England football fans to pace themselves and stay hydrated ahead of their next World Cup match against Panama on Saturday evening.

The LAS says that there was a 50% surge in 999 calls and an increase in alcohol-related assaults following the Three Lions' group game against Ghana on Tuesday.

LAS Director of Ambulance Operations, Darren Farmer, has asked people to drink alcohol responsibly and warned that "London has been extremely hot over the past week".

He advises fans to stay out of the heat during the hottest part of the day.

“We know from experience that a combination of excitement, tension, alcohol and warm weather can lead to avoidable ambulance callouts," he says

“You want to end your night winning and not in the back of an ambulance.”

How unusual is this kind of heat in June?published at 18:43 BST

18:43 BST

By Becky Dale and Mark Poynting

It isn’t just this heatwave, June in the UK is generally getting hotter.

Temperatures of 30C or more used to be relatively rare in June. Between 1960 and 1999, 30C was reached three times a decade on average.

But over the past ten years, 30C has been surpassed in nine of them.

The intensity of the heat is also notable. As we’ve reported, temperatures today provisionally passed 37C for the first time on record in June.

That is significantly above the record of 35.6C set during the exceptional 1976 heatwave, a temperature which has now been surpassed for the past three days.

Scientists are clear that extreme heat is becoming more likely and more intense because of human-caused climate change.

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Eurostar has cancelled some of its services between London and Paris this evening "due to an exceptional spell of extreme heat" on the network.

The service due to depart London at 19:01 has been cancelled, as well as the service due to leave Paris at 20:28.

Services have also been cancelled between Paris and Brussels.

In a status update, Eurostar says: "If you're booked to travel between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, we strongly advise you postpone your trip to another date."

Oliver Smith
Senior business producer

The UK’s energy grid operator Neso issued what it calls an Electricity Margin Notice – a request for more power to be made available to act as a safety buffer between the supply of and demand for power.

It's in place for the evening peak period, it says, adding the notice is a "routine tool" and it "does not mean a risk to electricity supplies", so people should continue to use their electricity as normal.

The increased use of air conditioning, fridges and freezers adds to electricity demand, but experts say this is more about issues with supply.

“We don't have a huge amount of wind generation because that high pressure means that the air is very still”, says energy analyst Ellen Fraser

She adds that it’s harder for gas powered plants to operate in high temperatures.

"When they’re hot, their cooling systems have to work much harder, much like a car engine” she says, adding that this is “a tricky situation for NESO to manage”.

Tara Mewawalla
Live reporter

Theatre performances in parts of the UK have been cancelled due to the searing heat this week, as the UK's trade union for performing arts and entertainment Equity advises production companies to make changes to shows to protect audience and staff health.

The Globe in London confirmed to the BBC that a matinee show of Mother Courage And Her Children and an evening show of Much Ado About Nothing had been cancelled today, following cancellations this week.

In Wales, the Swansea Grand Theatre announced on Instagram that its Wednesday show Rumours of Fleetwood Mac had been postponed until September due to the red weather warning for extreme heat.

And West End comedy musical Avenue Q announced on Instagram yesterday that it would introduce "hydration breaks" in both acts to give "everyone a chance to stay refreshed".

Equity recommends theatres can make other changes, including modifying choreography, limiting lighting use, adapting costumes, wigs, hair and make-up, changing performance times and rescheduling shows.

The union, which tells me several West End theatres had been 30 degrees or higher this week, is supporting the Trade Union Congress campaign for a maximum working temperature.

"Sometimes, the show does not have to go on," Equity assistant general secretary for live performance Adam Adnyana says. He suggested 27C should be the cut-off for "strenuous work - like performing a number in a musical in full costume".

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Edinburgh Airport is still managing disruption following severe thunderstorms overnight and in the early hours Friday.

A spokesperson for the airport confirmed to the BBC that the situation has improved from the worst of the weather on Friday morning but it is still likely to have a knock-on effect throughout the day.

In a post on X in reply to a complaint about long queues, the airport says because of delays caused by the thunderstorms "several flights are arriving off schedule and creating busier conditions than usual at certain times".

Passengers have been advised to contact their airline for the latest travel information.

A thunderstorm warning that was issued for Northern Ireland until 22:00 BST has been cancelled by the Met Office.

Yellow warnings for thunderstorms remain in place across Scotland until 03:00 on Saturday, and 21:00 over the north of England.

Nathan Standley
Education reporter

We've just heard from the Welsh education authorities, who say based on their understanding more than 800 schools in Wales were disrupted by the heat today, having to fully or partially close.

However, they say this is not a complete or verified statistic, as that is held separately by each local authority.

We previously reported that 600 schools in England had either closed or partially closed again today because of the weather, meaning at least 1,400 schools have been affected in England and Wales.

The real number is likely to be much higher though, as a list of schools that have to close because of extreme weather is not published centrally, and local authorities are not obliged to publish them on their websites either.

We've just had an update from Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. It says that a fire in the Peak District is now contained.

Earlier, we heard that the fire, which has been burning since Wednesday, had affected about 200 hectares (990 acres) of land on Tintwistle Moor.

As people gear up to commute home and enjoy the weekend, parts of the rail network across the UK are facing cancellations and amended timetables. Here are some issues to look out for:

Transport for London: Multiple tube lines are facing minor delays, with the Elizabeth Line and District Line both facing severe delays. The Mildmay Line has a reduced service.

Avanti West Coast: Running fewer trains on Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool routes, with major disruption reported.

Great Western Railway: Fewer trains causing cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads and Severn Beach, Exeter St Davids and Okehampton, Reading and Gatwick Airport, and on other lines.

Southern Railways: The Gatwick Express will not be running between London Victoria and Brighton this afternoon. Cancellations including from London Victoria to Bognor Regis, Brighton to Southampton.

South Western Railway: Cancellations of services to Farnham, due to a fire. Warning that all routes may be subject to delay or cancellations.

Northern: Reduced services on routes, including from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, Manchester Victoria to Wigan, York to Leeds via Harrogate and Leeds to Manchester Victoria.

Transport for Wales: Passengers are advised to only travel if absolutely necessary through the red weather warning area on Friday, adding that services may be delayed or cancelled at short notice.

Sheffield Supertram: All services are currently suspended while temperatures remain high, the operator announced this afternoon.

Jack Burgess
Live page editor

Image source, Reuters

France - state-owned energy giant EDF says it will give schools, kindergartens and day care centres millions of euros for air cooling systems. More than half of the country remains under a red alert for extreme heat.

Meanwhile, French authorities have announced public alcohol consumption and sales bans in Paris, in a bid to ease pressure on the capital's hospitals during the heatwave.

Germany - has experienced its hottest June day, the German Weather Service tells AFP, with preliminary recorded figures showing 40.9C in the western city Saarbrücken.

Netherlands - a code red extreme heat warning has been issued for the first time. "The heat is oppressive. At times almost suffocating," our reporter in The Hague says.

Spain - the highest June temperatures were recorded this week, with 45.1C in the southern town of Andújar on Monday. The MoMo monitoring system for reporting temperature-related deaths, external has counted 213 fatalities between Sunday and Wednesday that could be linked to the heat.

Belgium - a re-enactment of the 1815 Battle of Waterloo has been cancelled as temperatures remain high in the country.

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

The German June temperature record has also been broken as provisional temperatures broke 40C at several locations across the country.

Five different weather stations saw reading above 40C, including 40.9C in the western city of Saarbrücken, the German Weather Service tells the AFP news agency.

It bets the previous recorded high of 39.6C for the month of June.

Catherine Byaruhanga
BBC News Presenter and Correspondent

Valentina Capsa is visiting the UK with her two children from Mallorca, Spain, and today they're enjoying a trip to the Hillingdon Lido in west London with friends.

Her children told me earlier that London’s weather is "very nice" and they are used to these hot temperatures.

When asked for advice, Capsa says air conditioning is a must and that it is crucial to look out for those most vulnerable like children and the sick.

"Watch out for them, for your neighbours, for your older neighbours," she says.

Her friend Dana Pintilie, who lives in England, is thinking about the changes she and her family could make if the UK keeps getting hotter.

"If the weather changes, we have to make some changes. The first one is air conditioner... more trees in our garden," she says.

"And we’ll try to enjoy it, to go to the beach and maybe we can improve the beaches a bit."

June's record temperature has been broken again today, with Santon Downham, Suffolk provisionally reaching 37.3C.

It topples the record of 37.1C set earlier in the afternoon, measured in Cavendish, Suffolk.

Jemma Crew
Business reporter

This week we are seeing fewer and disrupted journeys, and more home working. Some workplaces and schools are closed, outdoor professions such as construction may work no or reduced hours, and heat-related sickness will hit productivity. Events are being cancelled.

Other areas will see boosts.

There’s likely to be a run on ice-creams and fans, and greater demand for summer clothes. A surge in sales of goods including sunglasses, sandals and BBQs during last month’s May heatwave fuelled a 3.7% rise in retail sales that month.

Air-conditioned shopping centres and cinemas may also see more footfall as people seek to escape the heat. Verónica Vienne, an environmental economist from the University of Huddersfield, believes the negative effects of extreme heat on the economy “clearly outweigh the positive”.

Image source, Getty Images

She says cities where more heat is trapped and which depend more on service industries are likely to take a greater economic hit, while crops will also suffer.

Vienne says the UK’s rail networks, offices and homes are not built for extreme heat. Until the government invests in adaptation measures to make infrastructure more resilient, she believes heatwaves will get more expensive.

It’s tricky to put a number on these factors. The Office for National Statistics estimates £1.2bn in output could have been lost due to hot days on average each year between 1998 and 2021, based on experimental research.

Some of its more recent research suggests the cooling effect of parks and lakes on urban spaces can avoid hundreds of millions of pounds of productivity losses.

While in the grip of a heatwave it can feel like everything is grinding to a halt, some economists believe the impact is likely to be relatively small in terms of denting overall growth, and caught up at other points in the year.

Mark Poynting
Climate reporter

This heatwave has felt particularly oppressive because it brings with it a double whammy of high temperatures and humidity.

Scientists measure this combination with what’s called the wet-bulb temperature.

Imagine doing a quick experiment where you cover the bulb of a thermometer with a piece of wet cloth.

If the air is dry, the water will begin to evaporate. This uses heat energy, causing the temperature reading to drop.

The wet-bulb temperature is the lowest temperature that can be reached through this process.

If the air starts off more humid, it won’t be able to absorb as much moisture – so the wet-bulb temperature will be higher.

The higher the wet-bulb temperature, the harder it is for the body to cool down through the evaporation of sweat.

That is why this week’s temperatures in the mid-thirties might have felt worse than the 40C temperatures of July 2022, when humidity was lower.

Pritti Mistry
Reporting from Lincolnshire

A boy who says he was frustrated with his school's policy of insisting boys have to wear trousers during hot weather chose to wear a skirt to classes in protest.

George, 15, from Keelby in Lincolnshire, says wearing trousers during the heatwave has made it harder to concentrate during exams, and instead has been wearing a friend's skirt for the past two days.

"If girls can wear a skirt and maybe feel a bit cooler, why can't I? So I did," he says.

Caistor Yarborough Academy says it has not sanctioned George, and has since relaxed rules, with pupils allowed to wear PE kit on Friday as a "personalised approach to the uniform policy".

The school says it has informed parents and carers of its decision.

The June temperature record has again been broken with a provisional temperature of 37.1C recorded in Cavendish, Suffolk.

It beats this afternoon's earlier record of 36.9C in Wattisham, Suffolk - which in turn beat Thursday's record of 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset.

Chris Fawkes
BBC Weather presenter

Thunderstorms are made from air rising quickly through the atmosphere. The sun heats the ground strongly during our summer months and this heats the air up near the ground.

This bubble of warmed air will become more buoyant and will rise upwards through the atmosphere. As the air rises upwards, it cools down.

Moisture in the air can then turn into water droplets and ice crystals. These can sometimes make thunder clouds.

The ice is important for making lightning and the cracks of thunder we hear.

Summer thunderstorms have much more energy in them, so can give us impressive lightning displays, flooding rain or sometimes large hail.

Yellow warnings for thunderstorms are in place in northern England and Northern Ireland into this evening, and in Scotland into the early hours of tomorrow morning.