Thousands watch summer solstice sunrise at Stonehenge - on the hottest day of year

Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge to watch the summer solstice sunrise, marking the year's longest day - on what is now the hottest day of the year.
Temperatures in Charlwood, Surrey hit 32.6C at lunchtime Saturday - beating the 32.2C reached in parts of eastern England on Thursday.
Overnight, those gathering at Stonehenge had a warm start, with temperatures in Salisbury and Greater London reaching 18C by 5am, according to the Met Office.
The Met Office confirmed "many places" in England and "one or two areas" in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday.
The forecaster confirmed the highest overnight temperatures were recorded in Yeovilton, in Somerset, and Crosby, in Merseyside, both reaching 19.7C by 6am on Saturday, with towns in Cumbria and Lancashire recording temperatures above 19C.
An amber heat-health alert is in place for all regions in England over the weekend.
Solstice events at Stonehenge are some of the rare occasions when visitors are allowed to get close to the stones at the World Heritage site, which was built to align with the sun on the solstices.
Solstices are believed to have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
The summer solstice sees the sun rise behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, with rays of sunlight being channelled into the centre of the monument.
It takes place as one of the Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt towards the sun as it reaches its highest position in the sky, giving the longest period of daylight for the year and signifying the end of spring.
It comes as scattered thunderstorms are set to hit the UK amid continued high temperatures on Saturday, with 34C possible in some areas.
The yellow weather warning for thunderstorms covers all of northern England, from Nottingham to up above Newcastle, and will come into force from 3pm and last until 4am on Sunday.
The Met Office warned the most intense storms could produce "frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds, as well as a chance of flooding".

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Weather: Northern Ireland records first heatwave in two years

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an hour ago

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Britain swelters on hottest day of the year as temperatures soar towards 34C and experts say 600 will die in roasting heatwave

Sunglasses, sun cream and umbrellas are out in full force today, as sweltering Brits continue to be gripped by blistering weather as the temperatures continue to soar. Today has become the hottest day of the year so far with parts of eastern England set to be basking in sizzling temperatures of 34C. But it's not all sunshine and smiles as an amber heat-health alert has been issued for the whole weekend across England, as experts warn nearly 600 people in England and Wales could die in upcoming heatwaves. Parts of England and Wales experienced heatwaves yesterday, while Northern Ireland its warmest June night on record with temperatures staying above 18.2C until Saturday morning, the Met Office said. Elsewhere in London, terrified passengers were stuck in heatwave hell as customers said they felt like they were being 'slow cooked' in 'an oven' when services came to a halt with no air conditioning or ventilation. Early this morning, large crowds gathered at Stonehenge for the annual summer solstice, with temperatures soaring 18C by 5am for those observing the annual spectacle. But ice-cream and hot weather aren't the only items on the menu, as stormy weather threatens to put a screeching halt to the sweltering sunshine with a yellow thunderstorm warning on the horizon. Northern England, from Nottingham to above Newcastle, have been issued a yellow thunderstorm warning, which will come into force from 5pm until 3am tomorrow. The Met Office warned the most intense storms could produce 'frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds', along with a chance of flooding. Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: 'There are scattered thunderstorms coming through. 'Some of the rain could be quite intense, and frequent lightning, hail, gusty winds and some heavy downpours, which we haven't seen for a while. 'Some of the ground is quite hard at the moment, and when you get heavy rain hitting hard ground, it can cause surface water issues. 'You might find surface water on the roads, drains finding it difficult to cope and a small chance of homes being flooded.' An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. It comes after the Met Office confirmed that 'many places' in England and 'one or two areas' in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on Friday. Aidan McGovern, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'At the moment, the temperatures will be highest towards the east, [with] lower temperatures in the west compared with Friday but still high humidity. 'So, it's going to feel oppressive in many places, and [there is] always a chance of some showers developing as the day progresses, particularly towards the west. 'Temperatures [will be] peaking at 31 to 33, or 34C, somewhere between London and Midlands and north-east England.' There will also be very high UV and pollen levels across the country on Saturday, the forecaster said. The Met Office also warned of more of heavy downpour battering parts of the country later this evening. Ellie Glaisyer, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'We do have a yellow warning in place for thunderstorms for the very far north of Wales, northern parts of England and in the very south east of Scotland. 'That warning is in place from 5pm this evening until 3am tomorrow. We could see around 30 to 40mm of rain falling in a couple of hours as well as some strong winds. 'These could be around 40 to 55 mph and some frequent lighting and large hail could be experienced in that warning area. 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Their study, released on last week, forecasts that around 570 people will die because of the heat over the four days, with the excess deaths estimated to peak at 266 on Saturday when the heat will be at its most intense. London is predicted to have the greatest number of excess deaths with 129, as researchers say their assessment highlights how extreme heat poses a growing threat to public health in the UK. A amber heat-health alert was issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, and is currently in force until 9am on Monday. It warns 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions. Following the hot weather, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) urged the public to take heat and water safety seriously. 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Dr Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, said: 'Heatwaves are silent killers - people who lose their lives in them typically have pre-existing health conditions and rarely have heat listed as a contributing cause of death. 'This real-time analysis reveals the hidden toll of heatwaves and we want it to help raise the alarm. 'Heatwaves are an underappreciated threat in the UK and they're becoming more dangerous with climate change.' It comes after temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday, making it the warmest day of the year so far, while Friday saw highs of 30.8C recorded in both England and Wales.

Daily Record

an hour ago

• Daily Record

Why do heatwaves in the UK feel worse than hot weather on holiday

It only happens a few times a year - but when Brits are faced with a heatwave at home we struggle to cope. While many of us enjoy soaking up the sun and its 30 degree heat in another country, the same can't really be said about when it happens in the UK. Even if temperatures don't reach as high as they do abroad, many of us seem to struggle more to deal with the heat at home. With temperatures reaching a high as 28.9 degrees in Scotland yesterday, and many parts of the country seeing mercury levels around the mid twenties today, according to the Met Office, quite a few of us did not feel equipped to deal with the unusual weather. ‌ Ahead of the heatwave, amber health alerts were issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), reports Manchester Evening News. These warned that the whole health service was "likely" to be impacted by high temperatures, with a "rise in deaths" to be expected. ‌ It is also said that heatwaves in the UK can carry a risk of wildfires, as well as a disruption to transport and power systems. But why do temperatures around 30 degrees in the UK at points feel unbearable, while the same temperature abroad would be described by many as a pleasant experience? If this is something you have pondered, there actually is a reason why the heat feels worse at home than on your holidays. One of the reasons for this is that other countries are better equipped for warmer weather in comparison to the UK. Meteorologist from the Met Office, Annie Shuttleworth, explained: "It is perhaps how heatwaves in the UK are perceived that makes them less manageable. "When we experience heat abroad, we're usually on holiday, and may be close to a pool or the beach. In general, buildings and infrastructure are also more set up for heat abroad – for example, there is more air conditioning." ‌ However, the difference is heat can also be hugely determined by the level of humidity. In 2021, the Met Office said: "The level of humidity can be higher in the UK than in continental Europe. If humidity is high, it is harder for the human body to keep cool as your sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly. ‌ "This is made worse given that we are experiencing more 'tropical nights' – nights where the temperature doesn't go below 20C, meaning we get no respite from the heat and time for our body to recover." In order for us to experience heat loss, the body relies on there being a temperature gradient between us and air. However, this process is made harder the hotter it is outside. Therefore, sweating is really important as it can naturally cool us down through the process of evaporation. Yet, this can be hindered due to the humidity impacting how our sweat evaporates. ‌ Meteorologist Dr Matthew Patterson said: "Sweating cools you down because when the water evaporates it transfers energy away from your body. However, sweating is less effective if there is already a lot of moisture in the air." Therefore, when we experience more humid heat in the UK, it can feel significantly hotter than experiencing it in a different climate. Additionally, this explains why the UK may receive a variety of health and weather warnings when temperatures start moving into the 30s. ‌ Climate expert Professor Hannah Cloke says: "Forecasters and health agencies measure and forecast the effects of temperature, humidity and windspeed on the human body in terms of a 'feels like' temperature, or with indicators such as the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). "Two regions might have identical temperatures, but one might feel OK, while the other leaves people dangerously overheated. Measures like the UTCI can provide planners with a much better understanding of where and when the impacts of a heatwave will be felt." So it seems that Brits aren't just complaining about the heat, there really is a difference in the UK compared to our go-to holiday destinations. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.