UK exceeds 40 degrees Celsius for the first time ever

The temperature in the UK has exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time ever.

Today, the UK’s Weather Service posted to its Twitter account that London Heathrow reported a temperature of 40.2°C.

The temperature was recorded just before 1:00 p.m. UK time.

The Weather Service says temperatures are still climbing in many areas.

Meanwhile, extreme heat has also engulfed parts of western Europe, with wildfires raging in France and Spain and a worsening drought in Portugal.