If not today, I'm sure 40c will be beaten in a future heatwave. The potential is clearly there, and with passing time becoming statistically more likely.

ICON 06z reassuring - am posting here as it's a nowcast really. Similar 850s to the 00z throughout the day, ever so slightly higher in mid-late afternoon, and a few 41s showing on the map in Lincs and S Yorks.

Another very warm night in the far East especially Norfolk. 23C, could even be warmer than last night and more humid.

Slightly hazy here but the sun is still very strong.

I'm still not so sure. Afternoon rises aren't going to be significant with cloud and change in wind. Can see a lot of places stalling just as they get in sight of 40. Places northeast of London have best chance i think rather than Heathrow. Think Heathrow and Northolt will top out around 38/39.

Arome is the only question mark.

All other output suggests we beat the record by about 1pm.

KEW GARDENS 34.6

BATTERSEA HELIPORT 34.4

TEDDINGTON BUSHY PAR 34.3

MONKS WOOD AUTOMATIC 34.3

LONDON ST JAMESS PAR 34.3

CAMBRIDGE NIAB AUTOM 34.2

HEATHROW 34.1

London City 34

Cambridge 34

NORTHOLT AUTOMATIC W 34

WOBURN AUTOMATIC WEA 33.7

CHARLWOOD AUTOMATIC 33.4

Lakenheath Raf 33.2

Mildenhall Raf 33.2

WRITTLE AUTOMATIC WE 33.1

WISLEY AUTOMATIC WEA 33.1

I mean 38C by twelve

For information, Cambridge airport is really just a single runway with relatively small amounts of tarmac and a large expanse of grass, unlike Heathrow, which is a huge expanse of black tarmac and large buildings.

And possibly places around Medway and NE Kent too, given they get some of the imported French heat late in the afternoon (if the lower level flow doesn't cut off) and are some of the last to get the lower uppers coming over. 

If it carries on like this yes. But it has to slow down sooner or later. Fascinating day.

Little Bursted vineyard still having a stellar morning. 33.6C at 10.15, within sight of yesterday's all time record of 34C already. It's 80m up in the downs and was 20C only 2 hours ago so that's some going. 

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1549321680304148485?s=21&t=aUrIDZP25gaheZXifBUCyg 

It's tracking us here (we are about seven miles away from Lynsore Bottom) with another 100m of elevation and we are currently at 33.6c

34C now so 6C left to go to 40C soon.

I just had a look to see if I could spot the weather station on Google Maps. I think this is it? Quite a way from the runway.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/52%C2%B012'38.6%22N+0%C2%B010'59.0%22E/@52.2107204,0.18218,363m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x8774ac716fcb9e9f!8m2!3d52.2107191!4d0.1830644

The Heathrow weather station is also on grass and actually closer to the road than the runway. I think this is it.

Currently 33.0C - that's a two degree rise in the last thirty minutes.

https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/IKENDA14/graph/2022-07-17/2022-07-17/daily 

35.6 now. Think the rate of increase has slowed somewhat.

Some very think wisps of high level cirrus. More like streaks than actual clouds (not contrails).

Quite a few 35s now