Heatwave end in sight but disruption continues

The end of the heatwave is in sight after the UK's June's temperature record was broken before overnight thunderstorms.

A high of 36.7C was recorded in Merryfield in Somerset on Thursday, surpassing the June record for a second day running. It has since been beaten again, with 36.9C recorded in Wattisham, Suffolk.

The West was once again hit with thunderstorms in the early hours - one person had to be taken to hospital after a lightning strike caused a fire at a nursing home in Glastonbury.

The heat has put exceptionally high pressure on the NHS, sparked hundreds of school closures and disrupted public transport, but temperatures are set to slowly ease over the weekend.

While the Met Office's red weather warning in the West has ended, an amber heat warning remains in place in east Gloucestershire and other parts of the country until 21:00 BST.

The UK Health Security Agency will downgrade its red heat-health alert to amber from 21:00, with it set to remain in place until 09:00 on Sunday.

The alert signifies a significant impact on health and social care, including pressure on services, a rise in deaths - particularly among over-65s - and a possible increase in water-related incidents, including drownings.

• Train services across the West have been cancelled, with Great Western Railway advising passengers to only travel if essential. It said it expected to operate "the vast majority of trains" on Saturday.
• Some schools have reopened after most were closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
• Supermarkets across the West have stopped selling fresh food after their fridges broke down due to the heat. The BBC has approached Tesco and Sainsbury's for comment.
• The cells at Bristol Crown Court have been closed due to the heat, with defendants moved to Bristol Magistrates' Court where it is thought to be cooler.
• Stonehenge in Wiltshire closed early at 15:00, for the second day running.
• Thames Water, which serves parts of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, has urged residents to only use water for essential needs until "exceptionally high demand" reduces.

The NHS has reported extreme pressure on services during the heatwave.

Dr Sam Patel, the medical director at Southmead Hospital, told BBC Radio Bristol: "The level of pressure has been really high, our admissions were among the highest we've seen in a very long time."

He said the hospital was seeing more older people, children and those with chronic health conditions seek treatment during the heatwave.

"This is the second heatwave in four weeks and that cumulative effect takes its toll," he added.

The NHS trust that runs Great Western Hospital in Swindon said "exceptionally high numbers of patients" had attended A&E this week, including people medically unwell due to the heat and other elderly and vulnerable people.

It comes after South West Ambulance Service received a record 3,941 calls across the region on Wednesday, which then rose even higher to 5,200 on Thursday. The service described the demand as unprecedented and unsustainable.

After an uncomfortable night where temperatures did not dip below the low-20Cs combined with very high humidity, the heat will slow ease in the West over the next few days.

Friday will still be very warm for the time of year with temperatures up in the very high-20Cs or low-30Cs and high humidity.

It is going to become gradually more comfortable over the weekend as temperatures fall and humidity lessens as well, but it is unlikely to be noticeable until Sunday, when temperatures in the low to mid-20Cs are forecast.

Next week looks largely dry and settled but much more comfortable, with temperatures in the low 20Cs.

The so-called heat dome sat across Europe which brought the record-breaking heat is slowly shifting its way eastwards over the coming days, so the most intense heat will likely move towards Germany and other eastern European countries.

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