Manish Pandey
Live reporter

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

The UK has been sweltering in its third heatwave of the year.

The highest temperature recorded in the UK today was 35.5C in Surrey. Scotland reached a high of 29.3C in Charterhall, with Cardiff Bute Park in Wales hitting 31.3C and Northern Ireland recording 27.5C in Killowen.

We've also seen a record broken for the most 34C days in a year - the eighth of 2026, beating the seven days in 1976 and 2020.

The hot weather has caused disruption to trains, but there have been fewer school closures compared to the previous heatwave just a few weeks ago.

Despite the temperatures, work has continued for many.

Chef Damian told us how he has been catering for hundreds, baker Melissa who has to spend longer hours in the kitchen - and even the King and Queen appeared to be feeling the heat during a trip to London Zoo.

Paramedics have warned people to be "sensible" during the heat - and offered advice on how to prevent medical emergencies.

It's not just the UK facing a spell of hot weather - Europeans in France and Spain are among those trying to find ways to keep cool in soaring temperatures.

While we've always had hot days and heatwaves, our climate editor explains that climate change makes heatwaves more likely.

It's not the end of the hot weather either - the UK Health Security Agency has an amber heat-health alert in place for most of England until 21:00 BST on 12 July.

With another night of high temperatures on the cards, here's some tips on how to sleep in the hot weather.

We're now bringing our live coverage to a close - you can read more in our news story.

How to keep our homes, and more specifically our bedrooms, cool has been a (hot) topic for debate in the newsroom in recent weeks.

Our climate and science team have pulled together some tips - among them...

Let in cool air and encourage air flow

Open windows on opposite sides of the house to encourage air flow - releasing trapped warm air and allowing in cooler air.

In flats which have windows on one side only, open doors and use a fan to encourage airflow.

Use a fan to enhance the breeze

Putting the fan in front of an open window can encourage the fresh air from outside to be blown throughout the room - as long as it is cooler outside.

Placing ice cubes in front of the fan can cool the air being blown in your direction. You can use more than one fan to create a cross current.

We've just received data for the maximum temperatures recorded across the UK so far today.

• England: Wisley with 35.5C
• Wales: Cardiff Bute Park with 31.3C
• Scotland: Charterhall with 29.3C
• Northern Ireland: Killowen with 27.5C

Alix Hattenstone
BBC Your Voice

For cake maker Melissa Jablonski, heatwaves mean longer hours in the kitchen.

She says she has to work quicker to stop things from melting, and making one cake can take anywhere from 12 hours to three days.

“Today I have not been coping great. I’ve been waking up at five or six o’clock to get cakes baked before it gets too hot outside," Melissa says.

"There’s a lot of butter creaming today – buttercream and 32 degree heat aren’t the best of friends," she adds.

Melissa says "everything is having to be quite down to the wire" because of the heat.

“It’s very tiring - it is a long work day. You’re trying to get the job done but physically it is taking a toll on you – you’re getting overheated, you can get heat exhaustion if you’re not being careful with taking regular breaks to cool off," she tells the BBC.

Huntingdon farmer John Sheppard says he can't cut his 700 acres of wheat due to the intense heat.

Sheppard says he is frightened that the combined harvester might hit flint or stone and cause a spark on the field.

"A combine [harvester] is a big dusty machine, and in 34 degrees, any dust that sticks to a hot engine could cause a spark... that's every farmer's worst nightmare," he tells BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"It's trying to manage risk at the moment, whether it's combining in the evening or the early morning," Sheppard adds.

He says the combiner has fire extinguishers, and the farm has a water tank in the event of a fire - but Sheppard admits it's "all a bit of a nightmare".

The wheat's straws should still be bright green, he adds, but says "everything in the last couple weeks has just died".

We have the latest temperatures for the hottest areas across the UK, as of 16:00 BST.

• England: Heathrow with 34.5C
• Wales: Cardiff Bute Park with 30.8C
• Scotland: Leuchars with 26.5C
• Northern Ireland: Killowen with 26.5C

A reminder that a temperature of 35.1C was recorded earlier in Wisley, Surrey.

Travel continues to be affected by the hot weather, with further disruptions expected as we hit rush hour.

c2c has a speed restriction in place because of high track temperatures, and a reduced number of trains running, with disruption - including "short notice delays and cancellations" - expected until 20:00.

There are cancellations between London Paddington and Reading for Great Western Railway, with the operator saying fewer trains are able to run in this heat.

East Midlands Railway has reported several cancellations and alterations, external, including services from London, Nottingham and Leicester.

The line between Bletchley and Bedford is closed, according to London Northwestern Railway, because of the weather.

South Western Railway says "severe weather" has caused disruption on some lines between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids.

Transport for Wales has a speed restriction between Aberdare and Fernhill in South Wales, with the impact to services expected to last until 21:30.

• Visit National Rail for a list of disruptions, external

Sadaf Maruf
BBC Your Voice

An estate of 2000 homes in Hertfordshire has been left without sustainable water as temperatures rise to 34C degrees in the area.

Paige Durham from Bishop's Stortford contacted BBC Your Voice, along with several other residents.

"Only one water tanker has been provided for all the homes on our estate," she says. "Vulnerable customers on the priority register have been left without water with no extra offer of help, just told there is a tanker, so that's fine."

Paige, who has lived on the estate for six years, says they have had problems with water since 6 July. One of her two children is autistic and she says she is regarded as a priority case.

"There hasn't even been enough to fill my children's water bottles up for school. Not even enough to shower my children. On one of the hottest weeks of the year it is honestly outrageous," she says.

The water company that supplies the estate, Independent Water Networks Ltd, says it appreciates how difficult this situation has been for its customers - with just over 1300 impacted.

In a statement, the company apologises and says "significantly less water has been available from the upstream network operated by Affinity Water, which supplies our local network".

"We remain in constant contact with Affinity Water and will continue doing everything possible to minimise disruption until normal supplies are restored."

Affinity Water has been reviewing low water pressure in the area, its website says, adding that its teams "continue to monitor the network and actively manage supplies across the affected area".

Alix Hattenstone
BBC Your Voice

Chef Damian Wawrzyniak does catering events across the country, and today is working at an event serving a few hundred people in Bridgend in Wales.

On the menu there's hot drinks, cold drinks, breakfast and lunch - which includes burgers, gyros, wraps and dirty fries.

“That’s all grilled, so the temperature is rising," Damian says. "Well, I’m still standing!"

“My solution for heat is hot black coffee – some people might say I’m crazy but that’s the best hydration," he adds.

"I used to work in Pakistan and Dubai, you need to have something on your head because you sweat. You need to wear the apron because of the hygiene, you need to keep it all cool.

An air conditioning unit in the trailer isn't an option, Damian says, as it makes the food cold.

"I try to keep the doors open, the hatch open, you just get it done, that’s how it is. I feel my feet literally just so hot!”

Emily Holt
Education reporter

During the last heatwave, Tyrone Myton, principal of Shirley High Performing Arts School in Croydon, had to close the school because its older facilities and lack of air conditioning made conditions “unsafe”.

Myton wants to see clearer and “more central” government guidance on when schools should shut, similar to existing rules for colder weather.

Without this guidance, Myton says parents are making decisions on whether to send their child to school based on other school closures - which can worsen attendance.

Over half of his students are disadvantaged, and he adds that the hotter weather can amplify barriers to attendance for those already struggling.

“By not having a centralised decision-making mechanism, it's really easy for those to opt out in the same way many of them have opted out post-Covid,” he says.

While Myton supports keeping schools open - and they intend to stay open this week - he stresses that there needs to be “proper investment” on air conditioning units, shaded outdoor areas and other heat-resilient infrastructure.

“But it takes significant financial investment, which isn't at the moment available in schools.”

Justin Rowlatt
Climate editor

We have always had hot days and heatwaves. Climate change doesn’t create every hot spell from scratch. But it does change the odds.

Think about it. We don’t get that many days that are very hot or very cold. Most days are closer to average. Plot them on a graph and they look a bit like a bell, with the very hot and very cold days at either end.

Global temperature has increased by around 1.4C since pre-industrial times. That may not sound much. But now look at the second curve. The hot end has shifted quite a bit.

That means temperatures that used to be rare are now closer to normal - more days cross the line into extreme heat.

So heatwaves become more likely. And when they happen, they are more likely to be hotter and last longer, because they are happening in a world that is already warmer.

As we mentioned in the previous post, several countries in central Europe have also seen soaring temperatures in recent weeks, including France and Spain.

Locals, both human and animal, have been grappling with record-breaking conditions - turning to traditional and not-so-traditional methods to keep cool.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Elizabeth Rizzini
Lead weather presenter

Image source, Reuters

Copernicus, which monitors conditions on Earth as part of the European Space Agency, has confirmed that June was the warmest on record for western Europe.

An intense heatwave developed during the second half of the month that saw monthly and even all-time records smashed across the western half of the continent.

Germany provisionally set a new all-time temperature record of 41.7C and Denmark also recorded a new all-time high of 37C in two locations.

Hungary, Austria, the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland also set new June records with new average daily national records set in France and Spain. Overnight minimum June records were also smashed.

The dry conditions combined with extreme heat led to multiple wildfires especially in Spain, Portugal and southern France.

There was also a marine heatwave in the western Mediterranean and along Atlantic coasts with the highest average sea surfaces temperatures recorded in June.

Chloe Hayward
BBC News

Paramedics in the south west say many of the emergencies they’re seeing during the heatwave could be prevented with a few simple steps.

After spending a day on the road in Exeter with paramedics, the BBC was told that older people and those with long‑term conditions are most at risk, with dehydration making existing health problems “far more dangerous”.

Their advice is clear: Stay hydrated, keep living spaces cool and ventilated, and make sure vulnerable neighbours or relatives have water within easy reach.

Fans, open windows and shaded rooms can all help reduce the strain on the body.

Crews also urge people to check in on elderly neighbours, especially those who may not realise how hot their homes have become.

Many recent callouts, they say, could have been avoided with better planning.

We've just had the latest data on the areas with the highest temperatures across the UK, as of 15:00.

• England: Wisley with 35.1C
• Wales: Cardiff Bute Park with 30.4C
• Scotland: Aboyne with 27C

• Northern Ireland: Killowen with 25C

Temperatures have now hit 35.1C (95F) in Wisley, Surrey.

Hugh Pym
Health editor

Image source, PA Media

A spokesperson for the Royal College of Paramedics (RCP) says "we need everyone to help each other whilst we brace for more heat and plan ahead".

Simple advice helps keep people safer:

• Drink enough water, keep in mind that as we age our thirst drive declines so we may need to hydrate even when we don't feel thirsty
• Support friends, family and neighbours - particularly those with long terms conditions, disabilities and older people - with access to water and cooling systems
• Keep babies and young children cool and well hydrated
• Try and stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day, from midday to 16:00
• Always remember to wear sunscreen and a hat if you do go outside

The spokesperson adds that the RCP needs the public to be sensible when enjoying the warm weather, including around football celebrations.

"So please do not enter any water – sea, rivers or pools - whilst intoxicated, avoid needing to call an ambulance or access ED through drinking too much alcohol and keep a close eye on children around water," he says.

“Paramedics and all healthcare professionals are committed to delivering care, and want to support you enjoying your summer, but keep in mind we are also working in stifling temperatures and challenging environments."

Despite the high temperatures, many across the areas affected by the current heatwave are still out there working.

Among them, King Charles and Queen Camilla - who have been visiting London Zoo to celebrate its 200th anniversary and to say hello to some of its many residents.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

The Met Office has recorded a temperature of 34.4C in Wisley, Surrey.

This means temperatures have exceeded 34C for the eighth day this year - marking a new record for the most number of 34C or higher in a calendar year, the Met Office says.

The record was previously set in 1976 and 2020 for seven days.

Alix Hattenstone
BBC Your Voice

Anna from Southampton says she is "doing everything" she can to keep her 11-week-old baby cool and hydrated during the latest heatwave.

"I guess this is going to be for the future now and it’s a very difficult time," she tells me.

Anna says both she and her baby are stuck indoors as it's "too dangerous" to leave the house due to the heat, adding that she stresses about her child's future and quality of life due to climate change.

"During the last heatwave I had a heat rash and so did my baby, just from being indoors," says Anna, who adds that she was able to since purchase a more powerful fan, which she says not everyone can afford.

"I think the government should create safe spaces in the way we have warm spaces in winter time... they could utilise offices and cooler areas where there is air conditioning," she says.