Friday, July 18, 2014

Hottest day of the year follows thunderstorms

Sunbathers on Brighton beach
Sunseekers in Brighton took advantage of the hot weather as they descended on the beach on Friday
Parts of south-east England have recorded the hottest day of the year after dramatic electrical storms.
Temperatures in Gravesend, Kent, nudged 32C (90F), beating the previous high of 29.5C, recorded on Thursday, as much of the country enjoyed the sun.
The sweltering heat came after lightning struck the UK more than 3,000 times in the early hours of Friday.
But the Met Office is warning of more storms and, in England and east Wales, flash flooding is on the way.
'Very humid'
BBC Weather said storms developing in France on Friday night would move north across the UK but that where exactly would be affected was difficult to predict.
The Met Office has issued a heat health alert for southern England and the Midlands, warning that "heavy thunderstorms in eastern areas on Saturday will lead to slightly lower maximum temperatures, but it will still be very humid".
Public Health England said elderly people and those with long-term illnesses should take particular care.
A fork of lightning in the sky at night
Dramatic storms hit the UK on Thursday night - this shot was captured in Bristol

Lightning striking Canary Wharf at night
Justin Stokes caught the moment lightning flashed over Canary Wharf in London

Lightning seen in the sky over a police helicopter which is on the ground
The Met Police issued photographs of the lightning over the capital on Thursday night

An amber rain warning issued by the Met Office for England and eastern Wales into Saturday means people should be prepared for possible flash floods.
Environment minister Dan Rogerson said the Environment Agency was working with local councils to prepare for any localised flooding.
"Our priority is public safety," he said. "I urge people to be prepared and act on the advice from the Environment Agency and local emergency services."
John Curtin, the agency's director of incident management, added: "Flooding can happen very quickly and the public are urged to keep checking local weather forecasts and the Environment Agency website for information on a regular basis."
A woman sleeping in the sun at Lord's
The heat was too much for some at Lord's cricket ground as England took on India in the second Test

Latitude festival
Festival-goers at the Latitude event in Suffolk basked in the sun on Friday

After people took dramatic pictures of Thursday night's storms and lightning struck a church's bell tower in Caerphilly, south Wales, temperatures in parts of south-east England looked set to hit 32C on Friday afternoon.

BBC weather forecaster Peter Sloss said it would be slightly cooler further north but parts of the Midlands could still get temperatures of 30C, with "fresher but still warm" weather in most of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Over the weekend, the storms could affect the second Test between England and India at Lord's, with spectators warned to expect interruptions.
A map showing lightning strikes

Cigarette warning
Public Health England has renewed its advice to people to take care in the heat.
Dr Paul Cosford, director for health protection, said: "While many people enjoy hot weather, high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be particularly vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses."
People should stay out of the heat during the hottest time of the day and have plenty of cool drinks, he said.
The hottest place in the UK on Thursday was Hampton in south-west London at 29.5C, according to the Met Office.
Meanwhile, London Fire Brigade warned of an increase in grass fires and reminded people not to drop cigarettes on to grass land.
The Fire Brigade Union is continuing its strike action across England and Wales, with a further stoppage scheduled from 23:00 on Friday until 01:00 BST.
During this period, crews will not attend grass fires unless they present a risk to life or property.

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