Hottest day of the year as temperatures reach a scorching 33.2C in London

London has recorded its hottest day of the year, with temperatures soaring above 33C as the nationwide heatwave hits its peak.

A temperature of 33.2C was recorded in the village of Charlwood, just northwest of Gatwick on Saturday afternoon.

People have been sunbathing in parks and flocking to the capital’s lidos and bathing pools to escape the scorching heat.

Warnings over heat-related illnesses and remaining safe while swimming in open water have been issued by London Ambulance Service, as they predict a surge in 999 calls.

“On some days over the last week, we have taken over 7,000 calls. This is nearly an additional thousand 999 calls a day compared to the same period last month,” Stuart Crichton, Director of 999 operations said.

“We want people to enjoy the weather but please take steps to look after yourselves and others around you.
“Older people, the very young and people with pre-existing conditions are more at risk in hot weather so please look out for neighbours, family or friends who may need some help and make sure they are able to keep cool during the heat.”

It comes as researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London (ICL) released a study that used historical data to forecast the capital could see 129 excess deaths related to this week’s hot temperatures.

Across England and Wales, excess deaths from Thursday to Sunday are estimated to be around 570 people.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,800 passengers had to be freed after a train became stuck at Loughborough Junction today — with no ventilation or air conditioning.

Three trains were brought to a standstill today and hundreds of passengers had to be freed by transport officers after a train became stuck at Loughborough Junction.

The breakdown occurred shortly before 11am, when a fault on a train heading from London Blackfriars to Herne Hill brought other carriages on the line to a standstill.

The Met Office has said parts of the country will see the “perfect conditions” for thunderstorms as the heatwave continues.

A yellow warning for thunderstorms covering parts of south-east Scotland, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales has been issued by the Met Office as it said there could be frequent lightning, large hail, strong winds and heavy rain in the affected areas.

Up to 40mm of rain could fall in less than two hours, the forecaster said, as it urged those in the warning areas to consider whether their location is at risk of flash flooding and to prepare accordingly.

The alert, which includes Manchester, Derbyshire and Newcastle upon Tyne, is in place from 5pm on Saturday until 3am on Sunday.

In an online forecast, Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: “Provisionally, Northern Ireland has recorded its warmest June night on record, Friday into Saturday, and this hot and humid air is being dragged up a little bit from parts of continental Europe, but we also have low pressure out in the Atlantic, and that is driving weather fronts across the UK, providing instability in the air and the perfect conditions to start sparking off some thunderstorms as that hot and humid air rises rapidly.”

As Saturday continues there may be “sharp showers” heading north, accompanied by “a few rumbles of thunder” during daylight hours with “sunny spells” in between, he added.

“Both Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all recorded their warmest day of 2025 yesterday.

“For the latter two, it is going to be a slightly less warm day today, a touch fresher, but still certainly around the mid 20s is possible for parts of Northern Ireland and into central areas of Scotland,” Mr Vautrey said.

An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK.

An amber heat-health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, for all regions in England remains in place over the weekend.

The agency has warned that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services, including an increase in demand, during the alert period.

Sunday will see a day of “sunny spells and showers” with highs of around 27C and 28C, Met Office weather forecaster Dan Stroud said.

Conditions are expected to feel “a lot fresher” in the west of the UK whilst remaining “very warm and humid” in the east, he added.

“For the vast majority of the country, the temperature is going to be much, much closer to the mid, late June average.

“As we move our way through Sunday night into Monday, it’s going to feel a lot fresher for us all, a lot more comfortable sleeping conditions.”

Pharmacies have advised their patients to store medicines safely as the heat-health alert continues, adding that most medicines kept at room temperature should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and hot areas, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has said.