I was wondering whether there had been one before.

While appreciating that automated output is no real guide at this stage it's ironic to note that the MetO temperature for the first day of the alert here in Leeds is 1C below today's forecast maximum and a whole 5C below tonight's forecast minimum. 

Further runs required no doubt 

Its 32.2 in Lincolnfield, this is a once a year type temperature for this part of the world!

If you mean Leconfield, there is something wrong with the weather station. It's been reading continuously too high for some time now. It reported a max of 31.9C yesterday! It's being discounted from the daily lists by the Met Office and I imagine those days back in May/June when it was the highest in the UK on multiple occasions will be expunged.

Echoing what has already been said, it's a bit odd that the forecast for here on Sunday is 27C, a degree less than today but there is an extreme heat warning.

Yes the automated at 6 days out are normally a watered down blend . Could be hotter or cooler than 29c.    Who knows what the weather will be like Sunday/Monday here. As ever we are  at risk of completely missing out on the heat.   GFS 6Z shows Sunday 30/31c and Monday 36/37c but ECM is much cooler at 25c. 

Here in Edinburgh, it looks as though our hot weather is now on its last legs with more in the way of cloud and wind around.

Even with that, the temperature at Edinburgh Airport has still managed to reach 26°C but that same all too familiar combination of too much cloud and too much wind which all too often results in the temperatures refusing to drop during so many of our nights in winter, has now stepped in to cause our temperatures to refuse to rise any further during today.

As a result, the temperatures have actually dropped back slightly during the last hour, and that now appears to have scuppered any chance that there was of today going down as our hottest day of this year.

This is definitely not the first time there has been an amber warning for extreme heat. There was one last year and may have been others

edit for link: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57893385.amp

The cloud that moved in earlier could end up causing a very warm night - currently hovering around 29C and forecast no lower than 21C in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Usually the temperature would fall away quickly under clear skies, even after a hot day.

Seemed to have peaked at a sensible 23.9 C half an hour ago and high cloud is now filling in the sky after the fine clear blue sky of this morning.

Living on the coast does have its advantages.

For what purpose? 

Hampshire roads made of chocolate or something?

Currently 33.4 C in my back garden in a shaded but non-standard position (may get re-radiated heat from the wall of the house). I'll be interested to see if Wisley records a very high value today.

The met office have issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat. I've never seen a weather warning like this for heat on the met office.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#?id=dc58cc70-bbf5-42f3-8814-a6736c53158d&date=2022-07-17&details

Read further up this page 

Apparently the gritter drivers are on permanent contracts and they need to demonstrate value for money, so are finding them something to do.

Or, the roads are melting and they think sand might help

*neither, either or both of these may or may not be true

Norfolk out too. 

Well, firstly they’re not on permanent contracts for gritting. They have other jobs to do too. In the winter they will do both.

 
Secondly, when tarmac starts to melt it can become slippery. Sand will add friction and stabilise the road surface. Whether this is enough in a prolonged period of heat remains to be seen. If the road surface becomes unsafe, the only option is to close the road. Also Inspectors are going round checking the bridge joints too. They have expansion joints to allow for movement, but if this is excessive, the joint will buckle and the bridge will have to be closed. 

I don't know about the roads but they resurfaced the pavements round my road a few weeks ago and they are a bit sticky.

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-07-11/how-are-gritters-helping-to-keep-traffic-moving-in-the-heatwave

and from last year, an explanation 

https://www.theaa.ie/blog/spanish-roads-dont-melt-why-do-ours/

The mercury tipped past the 30 degree mark recently but it only ever gets that hot for a few days at a time, and not every year at that. You can build roads that can cope with those temperatures using special polymers and binding agents in the top layer of tarmac but it is expensive. It is not really possible or sensible to over-engineer a road to such an extent that huge cost is incurred making it proof against problems that arise very rarely. This is especially true for roads that are not heavily trafficked, as the level of damage and the level of risk may not be as high.

A high of 31c here but very hazy sunshine if not now cloudy in general.

A nice breeze to.