Afternoon:
10°c
Heatwave draws to a close as Britain freshens up
3 Jul 2009Britain's hottest spell in years came to an end today as a cool front moved in, lowering the temperatures across the country.
Yesterday, swathes of the UK remained in the grip of the blistering heat while other parts dealt with heavy rain and flash floods.
Temperatures yesterday afternoon soared to 30C (86F) at Heathrow airport, but other regions - including the North, the West and Ireland - were hit by heavy downpours.
The hot weather - which saw temperatures reach a high of 31.8C (89.2F) on Tuesday - will be replaced by cooler air accompanied by showers in many parts.
Steve Ellison, forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather arm of the Press Association, said temperatures today and tomorrow would hover around the mid 20s in southern England, and a few degrees lower in the North.
He said: "We saw the last of the heatwave yesterday. From today onwards temperatures will cool down across the country. It will certainly feel a lot fresher.
es magazine, summer issue, free today with a copy of the Evening Standard
"There will be thundery showers moving north-eastwards, with East Anglia and North East England likely to be worst affected. But behind those showers it will clear up, with sunny spells."
Mr Ellison said Wimbledon should escape most of the showers over the weekend as the weather turns unsettled.
During the hot spell ambulance crews treated large numbers of patients for breathing problems, chest pains, loss of consciousness and fainting.
It also emerged that a 17-year-old boy died while swimming with friends in a reservoir near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday afternoon.
And there was a grim reminder that animals are vulnerable to the heat, after two German shepherd police dogs died when they were left in a car outside Nottinghamshire's force headquarters in Arnold.
Trafalgar Square's fountains were shut down after soaring temperatures caused the growth of algae.
In contrast, the North East was hit by localised flash flooding.
Yesterday morning, parts of Ireland and western England were deluged by up to 20mm of rain. Around 300 homes in Cornwall suffered a power cut after lightning strikes.
But in Kuwait British troops were dealing with temperatures far higher than those in the UK. Temperatures peaked at 47C (116.6F) making it one of the hottest spots on the planet.
Reader views (6)
Thats "climate change" gone for another year. Unless it rains, is windy, snows, sleets, hails, etc etc.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants, 03/07/2009 17:30
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Makes me glad I gave up my office job for an occupation where I can choose the days to work indoors or outdoors...Now I can laugh down my sleeve at the thousands stuck in stuffy offices, while they look forward to a rainy weekend.
- Jock, London, 03/07/2009 15:58
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Neil, my thoughts exactly.
"Heatwave", how about just saying "good summer". A heatwave to me is 40C degrees plus, not 30/31C.
- Dom, London, 03/07/2009 14:05
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Thank goodness. Although I enjoy the sunshine if out have to use public transport it is a nightmare. Yesterday a 25 stone lump of lard forced himself into a narrow seat next to me instead of being a gentleman and letting the lady approach from the other direction have the seat. The additional heat and humidity he generated made it feel like 50C. Maybe we need BMI meters at underground stations!
- Man U Fan, London, 03/07/2009 12:50
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Oh no, what are we going to complain about now?
- Patricia, LONDON, 03/07/2009 10:40
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Typical. The sun beats down all week while I'm stuck in an office under fluorescent lights, then it rains all weekend. Tut.
- Neil, London, London UK, 03/07/2009 09:32
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