Temperatures to hit 34C today after hottest day of the year – before mercury dips as thunderstorms to hit

TEMPERATURES will hit a balmy 34C today following the hottest day of the year – with thunderstorms on the horizon. It comes as the UK saw astonishing highs of 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London yesterday, beating the previous record of 38C in Norfolk in June. Temperatures are set to hit 34C today before the mercury dips Credit: Met Office Sunbathers and holidaymakers at West Bay in Dorset enjoy the scorching hot afternoon sunshine Credit: Alamy The Met Office has said temperatures will reach highs of 34C in the south east on Friday, dropping to 30C over the weekend. Light rain is forecast for central and southeastern parts of England on Friday and Saturday, bringing in fresher, less humid air and possible thunderstorms. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The north of England could also see rain moving into Monday and Tuesday, but the majority will fall over Northern Ireland and Scotland. Any meaningful rainfall across drought-ridden parts of the UK may not be seen until the end of next week, however. Sunseekers enjoy the hot weather on Carne Beach in Cornwall Credit: PA Youngsters in North Tyneside cool off in the water on the hottest day of the year Credit: NNP The sun rises above the River Thames near Gravesend Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Nearly 75 per cent of the UK is in drought after record-breaking extreme heat Credit: AP Deputy Chief Forecaster, Steven Keates, said: “Many people are desperate for some rain to alleviate the impacts of the prolonged dry spell. “There is a chance of some thunderstorms developing in central and southeastern parts of England later on Friday into Saturday, however these are very uncertain.” Brits will no doubt be welcoming in the cooler front over the weekend, after Thursday smashed the record for the hottest day of the year yet. Sunseekers across the country flocked to beaches as temperatures soared, with a staggering 38.1C recorded at Kew Gardens. Most read in The Sun But while the 2026 record was broken, the highest temperature ever logged in the UK remains 40.3C in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, in 2022. The August record similarly remains untouched, at 38.5C in Kent back in 2003. Nonetheless, 2026 has seen countless extreme heat records broken, including this week’s four day streak which saw the mercury consistently hit 36C or above. Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong, said: “This current spell of extreme heat is the latest in a remarkable summer. “Numerous temperature records have been broken and we’ve seen an exceptionally dry season across much of England and Wales too.” Nearly 75 per cent of England and Wales is now officially in drought, with July and August experiencing record-breaking dry conditions. Some 1,017 wildfires were recorded across England and Wales, according to data shared by the National Fire Chiefs Council. An “apocalyptic” wildfire in Stourbridge, near Birmingham, broke out yesterday, leaving grasslands scorched and nearby homes completely destroyed. Shocking aerial shots show rooftops ravaged by flames as the fast-moving blaze scorched 40 acres of residential land. Comment now