The UK could experience the hottest day of the year so far next week, with temperatures set to reach the high 20s and possibly even the low 30s in some parts of the country, the Met Office has said.
A heatwave from Spain is expected to sweep into southeast England over the coming days, meaning the current yearly high of 27.5C, which was recorded at Heathrow on 17 May, is likely to be eclipsed.
“As we go through the week, temperatures are set to rise and we could see them reach the high 20s and maybe low 30s in the southeast by Friday,” Matthew Box, a forecaster at the Met Office, said.
He told The Independent that some places in southeast England could see temperatures of “32C or maybe a touch higher”.
But he added that the probability of a heatwave being declared was “low”. This threshold is met in southeast England if temperatures rise above 27C for at least three consecutive days.
The meteorologist added that a colder weather front will descend from the northwest next weekend, lowering temperatures to nearer the monthly average of around 19C.
Before then, most of the country will enjoy sunny conditions. But the far northwest of the UK will be overcast at times and will see some rain, Mr Box said.
The upcoming high temperatures will not get close to the highs felt in Spain this weekend.
In its warmest pre-summer heatwave for at least two decades, the mercury rose to 40C in the Spanish city of Cordoba on Saturday, according to the national forecaster Aemet. As a result, fan-sellers in Andalusia were reportedly doing brisk business.
The Spanish heatwave was caused by a cloud of hot air blowing over from north Africa. It is likely to last until 15 June.
