UK weather: Hottest day on the way as 'Azores high' hits Britain

Sunday is expected to be hottest day of the year so far

Crowds of people enjoying the sunshine on Brighton beach (PA)

Temperatures in the UK are set to climb to about 32C this weekend.

The heatwave will spell the end of the prolonged severe wet weather that caused flooding across parts of the country earlier this week.

Sunday is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far, as a result of an “Azores high”, also known as the “Bermuda high”.

This is when the UK is set to be hotter than Crete, Turkey, Sicily, Gibraltar and parts of Spain and Portugal – according to a BBC forecast.

The mini-heatwave is due to last until at least Monday – the day dubbed “freedom day” – when the government is expected to lift the last of the Covid-19 restrictions.

Andy Page, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The extension of the Azores high is the principal reason behind the UK’s current weather pattern, which will see much of the UK reach heatwave thresholds over the weekend and into early next week.

“High temperatures will remain in the forecast well into next week, but there’s a risk of isolated heavy showers in the south of the UK on Monday and Tuesday, although it should be largely fine for most areas.”

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said that temperatures are expected to exceed 30C.

He added: “31C, 32C wouldn’t be out of the question”.

Sunday would be “A hot day, the hottest day of the year so far, the hottest weekend of the year so far,” Mr McGivern added.

The baking hot weather has prompted warnings from Public Health England (PHE) for people to keep themselves cool.

UV rays are at their greatest between 11am and 3pm, PHE’s guidance states, so those at risk of heat stroke should ensure they are in the shade or indoors between those hours.

Other advice is to wear a hat, apply sunscreen and avoid physical exertion during the hottest parts of the day.

A health alert has been issued in England with high temperatures predicted to be “widespread across the bulk of Britain” from the end of the week and through the weekend.

The alert, which covers England – excluding parts of the North East, North West and London – is due to last until Tuesday.

The hottest day of the year so far was 14 June when temperatures hit 29.7C at Bushy Park in London.