34.3C at 13:00

So a huge rise in the last half hour.

Here in Edinburgh, the temperature at Edinburgh Gogarbank has jumped up to 26.9°C as at 1pm this afternoon. That is an increase of 1.3°C in the last hour, and already makes today the hottest day of this year at that particular station.

In addition to that, the highest July temperature which I know of to have been recorded here in Edinburgh was a value of 30.0°C at the botanic gardens.

Since some of our recent maximum temperatures haven't been occurring until the early part of the evening, there is still the chance that we could go above that magic 30°C at Edinburgh Gogarbank if we continue to see plenty of sunshine, but I suspect that there is probably too much of a breeze from off the North Sea for that to actually happen.

Such a breeze usually tends to get stronger as the day goes on and rather frustratingly, this has scuppered so many possibilities of us getting any sort of really high temperatures on so many occasions, so we really need to be getting rid of that breeze in order for us to have a chance of going above that all important 30°C mark.

Temperature back on the rise, up to 33.8C

Should exceed the record in the next hour.

I'm a bit confused about the hourly figures we see. The Met tweeted 35.9C had been reached at Heathrow, in a tweet sent at 1.11pm. The 12 noon and 1pm figures were 33.7 and 34.3C.

So either it reached 35.9C between 12 and 1, and then dropped a degree and a half, or else it rose by 1.6C between the 1pm reading (actually 12.50) and the time that tweet was written.

If it stays clear 40c is on!

If the short range models are correct the Heathrow reading should be a bit ahead. Makes the 38.5C more likely but we arn't on course for 39C yet. We still need alot more for that.

35.3c at 1pm in St James's Park

It was the cloud band passing through - it dropped temps by a couple of degrees.

Game on now though.

Looking at the radar Cambridge/Stevengae are at risk of some showers.

Just been out for a walk.

Feels incredible out there - exceptionally hot. All the high cloud has melted away for now & we have a clear sky.

Official reading at Manchester Airport is now 31C. 

Manchester University 35.1C - I think we can safely disregard this as being too high - I'd estimate 33C or so in the city centre. 

Encouraging- and posts above suggest temps still climbing well at Heathrow.

Away from the furnace, we've levelled out at 30C and Ac castellanus is ominously appearing.

Theres plenty more cloud where that last band came from.

https://en.sat24.com/en/fr/visual

Also Wisley 35.0C, and Kew 34.7C. 

10 stations reporting 35C or higher at 1pm, pretty widespread heat!

cells over me now visible on the  radar, big rain drops 

Again 35.6 at 13:30 matching 2003.

Cambridge NIAB nearby (A MetO approved station) 35.5 at 13:00 for reference:

http://www.weathercast.co.uk/world-weather/weather-stations/obsid/99123.html

Meanwhile Deelen in the Netherlands is reporting 40.8C. If confirmed that has smashed the national record. Looks legit: https://www.ogimet.com/display_synops2.php?lang=en&tipo=ALL&ord=REV&nil=SI&fmt=html&anof=2019&mesf=07&dayf=25&horaf=12&minf=52&ano=2019&mes=07&day=24&hora=12&min=52&lugar=06275

The record was only broken yesterday, with 39.2C. The previous record was 38.6C. So in two days they have piled 2.2C on top of the record 

Unconfirmed reports on Twitter that it has gone even higher, to 41.7C or even 42C+.

Cambridge Airport reporting 37C at 13:42.

Edit: it's been clear here up to now but a few small blobs of altocumulus are now drifting by and something a little more substantial on my western horizon.

Is it fair to use Airports? Its always going to be hotter as its an artificial environment but no one lives there.