Advertisement

UK weather forecast: Brits braced for glorious sunshine as forecasters predict hottest day of the year

PA
PA

Brits are braced for a glorious day of sunshine as Friday is set to be the hottest day of the year so far in the UK.

Temperatures will start to rise on Thursday and are expected to peak at the end of the week before quickly cooling down over the weekend, the Met Office said.

The mercury is likely to soar above 30C across much of central, southern and eastern England on Friday, with a few places in and around London reaching as high as 34C or even 35C.

The hottest day of the year so far was recorded on June 25 at Heathrow, where temperatures reached 33.4C.

Andy Page, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "The bulk of England and Wales will have dry, very warm and sunny weather to end the week, with Friday likely to be the hottest day of the year so far for the UK.

"A few thunderstorms are possible later on Friday and then a cold front moves eastwards by Saturday, bringing a downturn in temperatures once again."

The warm weather is not set to extend into three-day "heatwave territory", the Met Office warned, and temperatures will drop by 10 degrees on Saturday for much of the UK.

Sunday will see showers moving in from the west, interspersed with sunny spells, and unsettled weather will return next week, the Met Office said.

People playing in the sea on Weymouth beach in Dorset (PA)
People playing in the sea on Weymouth beach in Dorset (PA)

Met Office spokeswoman Nicky Maxey told the Standard: "We have warm air coming in from the Continent, but it will be quite a short spell of warm weather.

"We had 33.4C at Heathrow on June 25 and it looks like we will beat that tomorrow.

"But it would be unusual if we didn't continue to see temperatures continue to peak throughout the summer months."

The high temperatures will continue in Cornwall on Saturday, she said, but it will drop to 26C or 27C in the South East and it will be even cooler elsewhere.

"It will be a marked change, but not exactly icy conditions," she added.

The London Ambulance Service urged people to drink water and use sun cream in the warm weather.

"With the increases in temperatures this week, please make sure you keep well and safe," a spokeswoman said.

"You can do this by drinking plenty of water and by applying sun cream and try to avoid spending long periods of time in the sun."

The bout of warm weather is being caused by a plume of hot air heading northwards from France and Spain.

British holidaymakers returning from Spain are now facing a 14-day quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The highest temperature recorded this month was 28.5C on July 17 at Heathrow.

Read more

Brits set to set to bask in blazing sunshine after chilly July