A melting road, buckling railways and a new record temperature that might not even last 24 hours. Greater Manchester has sweltered in the sun as the region lives through the extreme heat warning that was issued by the Met Office.
Temperatures have climbed to 35C locally, according to official figures from the Met Office. The forecaster's two weather stations nearest to Manchester saw record-busting temperatures this afternoon (July 18).
In Rochdale, a high temperature of 34.3C was recorded, beating the previous Greater Manchester record of 33.9C set at the same weather station back on July 25, 2019. Meanwhile in Rostherne, a stone's throw from the Trafford border in Cheshire, the mercury hit even higher levels at 35C.
The University of Manchester also recorded temperatures in the region of 35C at its Whitworth Observatory near the city centre at around 5pm. Yet even in the baking sun, Manchester had to go its own way, as residents in some areas reported a brief period of rain in the late afternoon.
As the night draws in, there will be little break from the warmth, before temperatures climb again tomorrow. The Met Office's extreme heat warning continuing, and temperatures as high as 38C are predicted in Manchester on Tuesday.
Some schools have decided that the heat is too much for students, deciding to close for either the afternoon or the full day tomorrow. Janice Allen, headteacher at Falinge Park High School in Rochdale, insisted it was not about being 'soft' in a letter to parents.
Advice has been issued for people not to travel by rail, with several Manchester services being cancelled today and tomorrow affecting trains to Sheffield, Crewe and Hull. Metrolink lines also buckled in the heat - with services on the Bury and Rochdale lines suspended over rush hour and speeds reduced elsewhere, as commuters faced a difficult evening.
It was just public transport that was struggling in the soaring heat, as a road in Stockport began to melt in the sun. "It was that soft your feet got stuck in it if you walked across," one eyewitness said of Broadstone Road, Reddish.
Yet while many have been concerned about the temperatures, there have been plenty of others out enjoying the sun. City centre sunbathers flocked to Piccadilly Gardens and New Islington Marina, trying to make the most of the weather.
Beauty spots were also popular destinations, with paddle boats popping up on lakes around the region. Reservoirs were popular spots for some - frustratingly for the emergency services, which have been urging residents to avoid open water swimming in the hot weather.
A huge group of youths and adults were escorted by police from Audenshaw Reservoir in Tameside, while the fire service was called out to a rescue at Heaton Park Reservoir, only to thankfully discover no one needed saving. The region is also on standby for wildfires, with senior firefighters leading calls to protect the region's green spaces amid surging temperatures, while six fire engines have raced out to the scene of a grass fire in Rixton near Salford this evening.
Day one of the red alert heatwave is almost over and it's likely to be a difficult night's sleep. Tomorrow could be even more extreme.
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