The long-promised and much-forecast heatwave is coming, eventually, say the Met Office, as a ‘Saharan bubble’ of hot, dry air from North Africa finally reaches Britain and sends temperatures soaring.
The forecast for Thursday is for wall-to-wall sunshine from around 9am onwards, and very different from Wednesday’s rather overcast, muggy conditions.
By mid-afternoon, temperatures are forecast to peak at 25 deg C in Bristol, but the further east you go inland, the hotter it will be.
There is also a red warning for very high pollen levels still in force, and with it being midsummer, the Met Office are also warning that the UV levels are high - meaning most people will get sunburn after just a few minutes, without suncream on.
The forecast for the rest of the week is even better - if you like it hot and sunny.
Temperatures will rise even further in the sunshine to 27 deg C on Friday, and it should be one of those days without a cloud in the sky.
Saturday will be slightly cloudier - but it still promises to be hot and sunny, with the maximum temperature again topping 27 deg C.
The forecast is for all this sunny weather to be over by Sunday, though - with cloudy and cooler conditions sweeping in with an Atlantic front at precisely 1am on Sunday morning.
It will be noticeably cooler - just 18deg C on Sunday morning, compared to almost ten degrees hotter the previous morning.
All is not lost for those planning a barbecue for Sunday afternoon though - the overcast skies might break a bit by late afternoon, but it won’t be paddling pool weather.
