Chris Fawkes
BBC Weather presenter

If temperatures do reach 33C later today, then it would indeed be a hot summer day.

However, we have seen similar June temperatures in four out of the five last years.

If temperatures were to reach 34C, then that becomes more unusual.

Temperatures have only reached or exceeded 34C in five years of recorded UK figures; 1947, 1957, 1976 and more recently in both 2017 and 2019.

It is expected that such extreme temperatures will become more common as a result of our heating climate.

Image source, .

As we approach midday in the UK, if you'd like to find out how hot it is where you are, click this link and enter your location or postcode in the search box.

This will let you compare the current temperature to more than 50 cities around the world, including some of the hottest and coldest inhabited spots.

Image source, Getty Images

Nick Miller
BBC Weather presenter

As of 11am the temperature has risen to 27.5C at Santon Downham in Suffolk and 25.2C at Gogerddan in Ceredigion as both Wales and England head towards recording their highest temperatures of the year so far.

This photo was taken a short time ago by BBC Weather Watcher Juniperbeddy in Herringfleet, Suffolk, not far from that hottest temperature recorded so far today.

Image source, Juniperbeddy

Image source, Getty Images

The RAC says that as a result of the intense heat it's expecting a "short, sharp spike" in breakdowns, especially in central and southern parts of the UK.

The motoring organisation warned drivers not to get caught out by advising to check their cars’ oil and coolant levels as soon as possible, particularly if they have a long trip planned in the hottest part of the day.

Drivers should also stay hydrated which has been shown to have a positive effect on their concentration levels, the RAC says.

Passengers should also be kept as cool and comfortable as possible so carry plenty of water and plan in sufficient breaks to avoid an already hot car becoming even more heated, it adds.

Nick Miller
BBC Weather presenter

Today’s expected maximum temperature of 34C will exceed not just last June’s high, which didn’t even reach 30C, but also last summer’s highest reading of 32.2C in July.

The UK’s highest June temperature on record is 35.6C in Southampton in 1976.

Image source, EPA

It isn't just parts of the UK facing extreme temperatures - the wider picture across Europe is that there is growing concern about water shortages amid soaring heat.

Water is so low in large stretches of Italy’s largest river, the Po, that locals can walk through the middle of the expanse of sand and wartime shipwrecks are resurfacing.

Authorities fear that if it doesn’t rain soon, there’ll be a serious shortage of water for drinking and irrigation for farmers and local populations across the whole of northern Italy.

The drying up of the Po, which runs 652 kilometres (405 miles) from the northwestern city of Turin to Venice, is jeopardising drinking water in Italy’s densely populated and highly industrialized districts and threatening irrigation in the most intensively farmed part of the country, known as the Italian food valley.

Northern Italy hasn’t seen rainfall for more than 110 days and this year’s snowfall is down by 70% and several factors are triggering the worst drought in 70 years, according to the Po River Basin Authority.

Chris Fawkes
BBC Weather presenter

A ridge of high pressure has built across western Europe which has brought strong sunshine and light winds, this combined with the long June days and short nights, has allowed temperatures to build up day by day.

The ridge has also essentially blocked Atlantic air from moving in and cooling the weather down.

The result is that a heatwave has developed, and this has arrived very early in the summer season.

Image source, Getty Images

Climate change could be as devastating as Covid for some communities, Wales' top doctor has warned.

Dr Sir Frank Atherton said rising temperatures were likely to pose a "serious health risk" to the nation.

As was the case in the pandemic, the chief medical officer warned Wales' poorest areas could be hardest hit.

The Welsh government said it had a plan to mitigate the worst impact of climate change and protect the most vulnerable.

"We know the pandemic has disproportionately affected the most deprived areas in Wales and had the greatest impact on our ageing population," said Dr Atherton, in his annual report.

"We must do everything in our powers to ensure climate change doesn't have similarly devastating consequences."

Read the full story here.

Georgina Rannard
BBC News

Yes, Britain has been slowly getting warmer since the 19th Century. In the past three decades, the UK has become 0.9C warmer.

The 10 hottest years since 1884 have all happened since 2002. And none of the coldest years has been recorded this century.

Climate change is causing global temperatures to rise. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, released into Earth's atmosphere in large volumes are trapping the sun's heat, causing the planet to warm.

Image source, .

Periods of intense heat do occur within natural weather patterns, but scientists say, external they are becoming more frequent, more intense and are lasting longer as a result of global warming.

That trend is predicted to continue. It's possible that by 2100, the UK could see 40C days every 3 to 4 years, external.

Image source, London Fire Brigade

With temperatures in the capital and parts of the UK expected to hit a sweltering 33C today - firefighters are also preparing for what could be the hottest day of the year so far.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has issued some advice to those Brits who will flock to parks to make the most of the weather.

One of the most common causes of grass fires is discarded cigarettes - not to mention smouldering hot coals in discarded disposable barbecues.

When the ground is extremely dry, grassland and parks will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

Check out these top tips from the LFB:

• Clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire
• Dispose of smoking materials such as cigarettes safely - don’t drop cigarettes on dry ground and don’t drop them out of car windows
• Never leave barbecues unattended and extinguish them properly after you have finished using them
• Do not barbecue on balconies - the wind can carry smouldering ash onto nearby grassland
• Be aware that children, animals, balls or anything else may knock over barbecues, increasing the risk of grass fires, especially when in a busy parks or public spaces

Image source, EPA

Anyone who is heading to watch the horse races at Royal Ascot and dreading the iconic event's notoriously strict dress code in these sweltering conditions, there is some good news.

The Berskhire racecourse has announced that jackets, ties and hats for men do not need to be worn on Friday inside enclosures, given the soaring temperatures.

The event relaxed its clothing rules for the first time in 2017, when similarly meteoric temperatures were hit of the race weekend, the Racing Post reports, external.

We've compiled a list of some cities around the country and their forecast peak temperatures for today, thanks to our colleagues at BBC Weather.

In London, temperatures are expected to hit around 33C, while on Brighton and Colchester are due to peak at 27C.

Heading to the north, Manchester is set to reach 26C, while Newcastle and Liverpool will be a comparatively chilly 23C.

In the midlands, Birmingham and Nottingham will peak at around 29C, with Leicester just edging them with an anticipated 30C.

In Wales, Cardiff will hit 26C while Swansea will peak at just 21C and Wrexham will hit around 27C.

For residents of Scotland's biggest cities, the foreceast is much cooler and, unfortunately, damper than the rest of the country - with Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness all seeing a peak temperature of just 16-18C and rain in the morning.

Across the Irish sea in Northern Ireland rain and cooler temperatures are also forecast, with Belfast likely to see 17C maximum temperature and Derry/Londonderry 15C.

With highs expected in the capital of around 33C, how does that compare to a normal June day?

The average expected temperature for June would be about 21C in London, so it’s going to be well over 10C hotter.

But temperatures would need to beat 35.6C to break the record for the UK's hottest June day, which was recorded in Southampton in 1976.

Image source, Reuters

France recorded its earliest 40C in history yesterday, as officials say the peak of the heatwave is yet to be reached.

The record temperature was observed in Saint-Jean-de-Minervois in the south of France.

Météo-France is predicting temperatures to rise to 42C along the west coast of France this weekend - one of the most profound heatwaves in French history.

The French weather service describes this current heatwave as “remarkable” for how early in the year it is, saying that it could become the earliest heatwave in France measured on a national level since recordings began in 1947.

An official heatwave is when at least three consecutive days have daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.

But the threshold varies by county between 25C and 28C depending on the part of the country. The threshold was raised by 1C in some areas earlier this year.

On Wednesday the highest temperature in the UK was recorded as 28.2C in London’s Kew Gardens.

Thursday saw a high of 29C so it’s looking likely Friday will be hot enough to be classified as an official heatwave.

Thanks for joining us on this Friday morning, the UK is gearing up for what could be the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures expected to reach around 33C.

With those sort of temperatures possible the UK Health Security Agency has issued a level two alert, external for southern and central England - the first this year - meaning the temperature could affect the public's health.

Of course, being the UK, it’s not going to be hot everywhere, with northern England and Scotland expected to reach more moderate highs.