July is set to end with a 30C blast of summer heat before wet and mild weather moves in for the start of August.
It's a damp and breezy start to the week - with two inches of rain and 40mph winds expected on Monday - but things will heat up before the weekend.
BBC forecaster Louise Lear said 30C is expected in London on Friday - the first time the temperature has gone above the 20s this month and we'll have to wait until the final day.
This year's July has been a far cry from 2019 when July 25 saw 38.7C in Cambridge.
And the meteorologist warned the "extreme heat is not going to stay with us" with "no signs of anything settled, warm and sunny for the start of August".
She said the second half of the weekend will be "a bit more comfortable" as temperatures dip but there will be a "return to wetter weather into the northwest".
And into next week it looks like that "gear change" is set to continue with "low pressure moving in from the Atlantic, a westerly feed set to dominate".
"One low clears away only to be replaced by yet another."
In the meantime, Monday is set for heavy rain in Wales and northern England, as well as "some pretty gusty winds".
Gales could reach as high as 44mph in the south west and while central and southern regions should avoid the worst of it the weather will still feel "a bit disappointing under the cloud, the rain, the wind direction".
Twenty-one degrees is possible in parts of the south, but the excessive winds are "quite unusual for the latter stages of July", added Ms Lear.
The weather is expected to quieten down on Tuesday but temperatures will remain "down on where they should be for the time of year".
But from Wednesday, high pressure will start to settle in, with temperatures peaking at 22C while on Thursday we'll "really start to see the signs of change".
Southerly winds will allow temperatures to hit highs of 26C by the afternoon and that southerly wind will remain into the weekend.
UK 5 day weather forecast
Today:
Windy with rain, heavy at times, pushing across the UK, most persistent over Scotland where cool. Some brighter and warmer spells developing elsewhere later though scattered showers and thunderstorms developing along with hail and some gusty winds.
Tonight:
Staying wet and becoming windier in north Scotland. Elsewhere rather cool and breezy with clear spells and scattered showers, mainly for W Scotland, Northern Ireland and northwest England.
Tuesday:
Cool and showery in northwestern parts of the UK but largely dry further southeast with only isolated showers. Persistent heavy rain and gales, locally severe, continuing for northern Scotland.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Most places dry Wednesday with lighter winds. Bright for many Thursday but rain may reach northwestern areas. Friday, sunny and very warm, perhaps hot, though with thundery showers possible later.
