UK weather LIVE: Today is hottest day of the year at 33.3C, Met Office says amid heatwave warning

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UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

The hottest day of the year so far has been declared with a temperature of 33.3C recorded in Suffolk.

It comes amid we weeks of scorching weather that were due to continue this week - leading the Met Office to issue a heatwave warning.

People should stay out of the sun, meteorologists said. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30C all week.

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Key Points

• Britain sees hottest day of year so far with 33.3C recorded in Suffolk
• Public cautioned to keep out of the sun until the weekend
• Potential for thunderstorms at end of the week

[23 July 2018 18:25 · Jon di Paolo]

Anyone hoping this evening might provide some respite from the sweltering heat should think again - it won't be cooling down across large parts of the UK for some time.

[23 July 2018 18:51 · Jon di Paolo]

Can you remember a summer as hot as 2018 has been? The chances are you may not be able to.

So far, this summer has been the second-warmest on record and you would have to go back to 1976 to find the current record holder.

Here is what the Met Office says needs to happen to make this the hottest-ever British summer. 

[23 July 2018 19:14 · Jon di Paolo]

At least 125 firefighters are now battling a grass fire on Woolwich Common in south London.

London Fire Brigade said an area of grass and shrub land the size of four football pitches had gone up in flames.

Several large grass fires have broken out across the UK this summer, with the problem being exacerbated by extremely dry conditions.