The UK is set to be doused in glorious sunshine when a heatwave brings July to an end in scorching style.
After weeks of grey skies and weak rays conspiring to conjure up a mediocre July, things may finally be taking a turn for the hotter.
Over the coming days the mercury is set to rise across the UK, creeping up into the mid twenties celcius on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Friday things will come to a glorious peak - hitting 30C in some areas.
London will get the best of the weather, with temperatures hitting 31C at around 4pm, according to the Met Office.
The rest of the South East will linger around the 28C mark, while the South West and Wales will have to make do with low to mid twenties celcius.
The Midlands and North will be nudging 30C during the middle of the afternoon, with things getting a few degrees cooler north of the border.
Bookies Ladbrookes has put the odds of Friday being the hottest day of the year at 4/6.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "We're strapping ourselves in for a scorching end to July with record-breaking temperatures on the way."
Those looking at having a flutter will have to bank on the sun shining a little harder than its currently forecast to.
At the end of June the mercury hit 32.6C in Heathrow, west of London.
That is small fry compared to last year's hottest day however.
Around a year ago Britain was being baked by a scorching weather system that saw the country hit new highs of 38.7C in Cambridge.
After Friday's peak things will cool off a little over the following week.
The capital will enjoy a warm, cloudy seven days with things remaining around the 22C mark.
The South East, South West and Wales will linger around 20C, while the North and Scotland will be a little cooler.
