Londoners and tourists to the capital sought out shade, hid under umbrellas and tried to fan themselves cool as the Met Office put temperatures at 35-36 degrees Celsius on Tuesday (June 23).

Britain is sweltering in extreme heat, with June potentially about to break a new heat record.

Trafalgar Square, in the bright sun was almost empty of tourists, although some visitors said they were used to high heat from their home countries.

"We're kind of used to the heat because we are from South Carolina, so it is an OK day for us," said one visitor, Karen.

"It is hot, but it is OK. In Holland it was also 35 degree (Celsius). So just relax, drinking much of water, it is OK!" said Simone from the Netherlands.

Europe's heatwave is driven by a weather pattern known as an Omega block, because it takes the shape of the Greek letter, with a bulge of hot air in the middle and cooler air either side, allowing temperatures to build day after day.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 23, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. CITY OF LONDON SEEN FROM THAMES / RIVER BOAT PASSING

2. CITY OF LONDON SEEN BEHIND BRIDGE

3. VARIOUS OF RIVER BOATS WITH PEOPLE ON DECK

4. PEOPLE OUTSIDE FANNING THEMSELVES

5. PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARD MASON & KAREN MASON (TOURISTS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, U.S.), SAYING:

RICHARD: "It's a bit oppressive I must say, how about you?"

KAREN: "We're kind of used to the heat because we are from South Carolina, so it's an OK day for us."

7. PEOPLE WALKING OVER BRIDGE WITH LONDON EYE IN BACKGROUND

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KWABENA (NO LAST NAME GIVEN), 43, VISITING FROM LANGLEY, SAYING:

"Yeah, fortunately they gave the announcement earlier so I am trying to have a lot of fluid as I walk around. Lot of water."

9. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FANNING THEMSELVES

10. WOMAN WALKING WITH UMBRELLA

11. VARIOUS OF PEDESTRIANS

12. PERSON HOLDING SMALL BATTERY FAN

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARTHUR, 62 & SIMONE, 59 (NO SURNAMES GIVEN), TOURISTS FROM NETHERLANDS, SAYING:

ARTHUR: "Well it is hot but we try to stay in the shade and it is our second time in London so we try to avoid the tourist places. We are now in a tourist place but we try to avoid them a little bit. And we stay in the shade and we drink a lot of water."

14. VARIOUS OF TOURISTS AT WESTMINSTER

15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARTHUR, 62 & SIMONE, 59 (NO SURNAMES GIVE), TOURISTS FROM NETHERLANDS, SAYING:

SIMONE: "Same, it is hot, but it is OK. In Holland it was also 35 degrees (Celsius). So just relax, not very initiate (MEANING NOT TO DO TOO MUCH), drinking much of water, it is OK!"

16. WOMAN FANNING HERSELF

17. PEOPLE UNDER UMBRELLA

18. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FANNING THEMSELVES

19. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE UNDER UMBRELLAS

20. TOURISTS LOOKING AT KING'S GUARD ON HORSEBACK

21. VARIOUS OF KING'S GUARD ON HORSEBACK

22. LIFEBUOY ON BRIDGE

23. EMPTY TRAFALGAR SQUARE IN SUN

24. TRAFALGAR SQUARE FOUNTAIN