UK records hottest day of year so far - as 40C highs close schools in Europe
A temperature of 34.7C (94.4F) was recorded at St James's Park in central London on Tuesday afternoon, the Met Office said, beating a high of 34.4C (93.9F) in Writtle, Essex, earlier in the day.
The UK's previous warmest day of 2025 was Saturday 21 June, when 33.2C (91.8F) was recorded in Charlwood, Surrey.
Much of Europe is also facing hotter-than-usual temperatures, with a high of 40C (104F) recorded in Paris.
More than 1,300 schools in France were partially or fully closed on Tuesday after the country's national weather agency placed several regions under the highest red alert.
The Paris region was particularly hard hit, and the Eiffel Tower's summit was closed to visitors as locals and tourists alike were warned to take care in the heat.
In Italy, 17 major cities - out of a total of 27 - were experiencing a heat wave, according to the country's health ministry.
At the Prague Zoo, staff are currently distributing up to 10 metric tons of ice per day to keep animals cool as temperatures in the Czech Republic reach 37C (98.6F).
Numerous Spanish cities have also reported sweltering temperatures, with highs over the 40C in Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona.
Speaking in Seville on Monday, António Guterres, the UN secretary general, said: "Extreme heat is no longer a rare event - it has become the new normal."
The city is forecast to roast in more the 40C heat for the next three days.
Meanwhile, wildfires on Turkey's coastal provinces are raging for a second day running.
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More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, including 42,000 from the western province of Izmir, where officials say strong winds have fanned the flames.
Turkey's Hatay Province has also seen wildfires.
A Met Office spokesperson said Tuesday was likely to mark "the peak of this current heatwave in terms of absolute temperatures we're expecting" in the UK.
Colder temperatures will come in from the north overnight and into Wednesday morning, Stephen Dixon said.
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