Heatwave smashes June temperature record again as lightning strikes spark fire

Two houses have been set alight after being struck by lightning in the early hours of the morning.

The homes, both in East Sussex, are 'well alight' with four fire crews being rushed to the scene of each blaze on Saturday, June 27.

Read the full story here.

Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: The UK is seeing a gradual shift in conditions over the weekend, with those to the southeast of England retaining the warmth the longest, where an amber extreme heat warning remains in force through much of Saturday, though peaks are more likely to be in the low 30s Celsius.

A wildfire that tore through large areas of moorland in Derbyshire has been contained, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said.

The fire, which broke out on Tintwistle Moor on Wednesday night, has affected around 200 hectares of moorland and woodland.

A fire service presence will remain overnight to monitor the scene before a reinspection takes place at 5am tomorrow.

Samantha Hughes, national water safety partner at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, said: "Its important to remember that the water is still cold. Entering it unexpectedly can lead to cold water shock, causing a sudden increase in breathing and heart rate, which may trigger panic.

"If you find yourself struggling in the water, remember to Float to Live: tilt your head back so your ears are submerged, relax and control your breathing. You may need to gently use your hands to help you stay afloat, and its ok if your legs sink - everyone floats differently.

"Where possible, always choose a lifeguarded beach, and swim between the red and yellow flags. In a coastal emergency remember to call 999 for the coastguard."

The Met Office gives the following advice for staying safe during a thunderstorm:

• Telephone lines can conduct electricity, so avoid using a landline unless it is an emergency.
• If you are outside, avoid water and move to a low-lying, open area away from trees, poles and metal objects.
• Avoid activities such as golf, fishing with rods or boating on lakes.
• Be aware that metal objects can conduct or attract lightning, including golf clubs, golf buggies, fishing rods, umbrellas, motorbikes, bicycles, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, pushchairs, wire fencing and rails. If you are in a tent, stay away from the metal poles.
• If you are in an exposed location with no shelter, squat close to the ground with your hands on your knees and your head tucked between them. Minimise contact with the ground and do not lie flat.
• If you feel your hair stand on end, immediately adopt this crouched position.

[2_The-scene-in-Dalkeith.jpg]

A house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, caught fire during a thunderstorm in the early hours of Friday(Image: Edinburgh Live)

The third consecutive day of record-breaking June temperatures comes as parts of the UK begin to come under a more westerly influence, bringing an increased risk of thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rain, large hail, lightning and strong gusts, the Met Office said.

Temperatures will start to fall in western areas first, with cooler conditions gradually spreading eastwards over the course of the weekend.

Looking ahead, Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page said: "The UK is seeing a gradual shift in conditions over the weekend, with those to the southeast of England retaining the warmth the longest, where an Amber Extreme Heat Warning remains in force through much of Saturday, though peaks are more likely to be in the low 30s Celsius."

Western parts of Scotland and much of Northern Ireland will see spells of rain on Saturday, with showers likely to spread further south in places on Sunday.

South-east England could remain largely dry through the weekend, although there remains a risk of thunderstorms before temperatures return closer to average later on Sunday and into Monday.

Andy Page, chief forecaster at the Met Office, has said: "Today marks the peak of the heatwave in terms of temperatures and the third consecutive day of record-breaking June heat.

"This exceptional heat has been unprecedented for June and is another marker on how climate change is shifting the dial on temperature extremes in the UK."

Temperatures hit 40C at several locations in Germany today, according to the country's weather service.

The highest temperature was recorded in the western city of Saarbrcken, where the mercury reached 40.9C, breaking the country's previous June record of 39.6C.

[0_Germany-Heatwave-Frankfurt-Hesse-26-Jun-2026.jpg]

A woman jogs at sunrise during a heatwave in Frankfurt, Germany, on Friday(Image: Matias Basualdo/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Thunderstorms are developing over parts of northern England.

Yellow thunderstorm warnings are in place in northern England and Northern Ireland until this evening, and in Scotland until the early hours of tomorrow.

A family had to flee their home after it was struck by lightning.

Stephanie and Christopher Ives were inside their house in Hebburn, South Tyneside, with their three-year-old son and their dog when lightning hit a TV aerial on the roof.

The lightening strike, which happened just after 8am on Friday, blew all of the electrics inside the property on The Cornfields and caused a gas leak. The trio ran outside with their pet when they started to smell smoke and discovered a neighbour had rang the fire service.

"The whole house has been hit by lightning. It's went through the aerial, blew literally every socket in the house and it's pretty much blew the gas," Stephanie told ChronicleLive.

"For the first few seconds I just thought it was lightening (outside) but when my ears were ringing it was like a grenade going off. It was terrifying, I was trying to keep calm for my son."

A yellow warning for thunderstorms by the Met Office has come into force for the northeast of the England.

The weather alert runs from 2pm until 9pm tonight with the warning stating: "Prepare to protect your property and people from injury. Before gusty winds arrive, check to ensure moveable objects or temporary structures are well secured. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, gazebos, sheds, and fences."

Here are the regions and local authorities affected:

North East England

• Darlington
• Durham
• Gateshead
• Hartlepool
• Middlesbrough
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• North Tyneside
• Northumberland
• Redcar and Cleveland
• South Tyneside
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Sunderland

North West England

• Cumbria

Yorkshire & Humber

• East Riding of Yorkshire
• North Yorkshire
• South Yorkshire
• West Yorkshire
• York

A new high for June is the third day on the trot that records have fallen.

The Met Office says that there is a new hottest June day record set in Wattisham, Suffolk, where 36.9C has been registered.

It comes after the national weather agency said it reached 36.4C at Yeovilton, Somerset, on Thursday afternoon, provisionally making it the UKs hottest June day on record.

This was then surpassed when provisional temperatures reached 36.7C in Merryfield, Somerset.

And the new high also surpasses both the previous record set on Wednesday, when temperatures reached 36.1C in Gosport, Hampshire, and the long-standing record for June heat which dates back to the memorable summer of 1976.

A passenger has told of a train shuddering following a lightning strike before they were taken off.

She told Edinburgh Live: "Scary morning, you actually felt the train slightly shudder and it made some amount of noise. Lights flickered and before we knew it, we were escorted off. Luckily enough we were just stopping at the station."

Edinburgh ScotRail passengers were evacuated from the 6.54am service from Helensburgh Central to Waverley at Livingston North around 8.20am due to the strike allegedly causing an electrical fault on board.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: Were sorry to customers who experienced disruption to their journey this morning.

"Anyone who was delayed by 30 minutes or more is entitled to claim compensation through the Delay Repay Guarantee on the ScotRail website or app.

A nurse has told of a "wall of heat" on a hospital ward.

The woman told the BBC that the conditions at the hospital in the Midlands was "terrible" and "intolerable".

It comes as midwife has also complained of no air conditioning in a post natal ward as people face tempertures over 30C and a doctor said patients were in hot, cramped and chaotic conditions, and some are becoming abusive.

Several hospitals have declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments.

Edinburgh ScotRail passengers were evacuated from their train service on Friday morning following a terrifying lightning strike.

The 6.54am service from Helensburgh Central to Waverley was halted at Livingston North around 8.20am due to the strike allegedly causing an electrical fault on board.

Passengers were removed from the train and it's understood it was taken to the depot for inspection.

A large huge crowd of passengers could be seen on the platform while heavy rain came down.

[1_Edinburgh-ScotRail-passengers-forced-to-flee-train-in-terrifying-lightning-strike.jpg]

Passengers on a platform after the train was evacuated(Image: Edinburgh Live)

A Met Office map shows thunderstorms in the north of the UK this afternoon as well as intense heat in the south.

The national weather agency states: "Another hot and humid afternoon is expected across the south and southeast of the country, while thunderstorms affect the north. It will feel slightly fresher in the west, though."

The National Energy System Operator (Neso) said electricity supplies may be squeezed on Friday.

Neso, which is tasked with making sure the supply of electricity matches demand for it, issued a so-called electricity margin notice for between 7pm and 10pm.

It is asking for 700 megawatts of power generation as a buffer to cover an expected shortfall in electricity margins. It is the second time this week Neso has issued a call for more power, having done the same on Wednesday.

However, the grid operator cancelled the warning shortly after 2pm on Wednesday, indicating it was confident in power supply levels for the evening.

Health chiefs are warning of the impact the heatwave is having on services as they face significantly more life-threatening emergency calls with record-breaking temperatures continuing to scorch the country.

Several hospitals have declared critical incidents, with University Hospital Southampton being forced to cancel a number of planned operations and some outpatient appointments.

Dr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, told the BBC the intense heat exposes how poor the infrastructure of the health service is.

When you go round hospitals, very, very few hospitals are new, she said. Weve kind of bolted things in car parks, weve added an extra wing on here, weve changed a corridor into a ward, and those places just arent coping with the demands of extreme heat.

The patients are far too hot. Were hearing reports of elderly care wards way over 30C.

Dr Williams also said some critical machinery, such as MRI scanners and linear accelerators that treat cancer, have gone down due to the heat.