UK weather news – live: ‘Red alert’ issued for beaches as UK records hottest August day in more than 15 years

People could underestimate heat, which could cause dehydration and sunburn, Met Office warns

UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

The UK could experience the hottest day of the year so far on Friday.

The Met Office has warned people not to be “caught out” by the potentially record-breaking temperatures.

The mercury is set to rise to 37C in London and the south east on Friday and could surpass the 37.8C recorded at Heathrow on 31 July – the hottest day of the year so far and the UK’s third warmest ever.

It is the second day of a heatwave which is expected to last until at least Sunday.

Follow the latest updates

Key Points

• UK records hottest August day since 2003
• ‘Red alert’ issued for beaches
• Met Office warns people not to be 'caught out'
• Public Health England issues 'heat-health' warning
• Heatwave could last until at least Sunday
• Rising temperatures will make it 'highly dangerous' for people to be outside, health expert warns

[7 August 2020 18:59 · Conrad Duncan]

The UK's heatwave tonight will feel very different across the country, with parts of the southeast not expected to see temperatures falling below 20C.

However in Scotland, temperatures could be as low as 4C overnight.

[7 August 2020 19:29 · Conrad Duncan]

Boys somersault into the water from the lido jetty wall at Margate beach on Friday afternoon (Source: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

[7 August 2020 19:54 · Vincent Wood]

Sun to stay, meteorologists say

Not a fan of the heat? Trying to push through tonight in the hopes of reaching a cooler tomorrow?

Well if you're the south of England and the east of Wales, the Met Office has some bad news for you - the scorching temperatures look like they're going to spread into next week.

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[7 August 2020 20:02 · Vincent Wood]

That's all from us, thanks for following.