UK weather: Britain set for warmest day of year amid heatwave starting this weekend

Temperatures could hit 32C on Wednesday as warmer weather blows in from Europe

Britain is set to sizzle in a tropical heatwave beginning this weekend – with the hottest day of the year predicted for the middle of next week.

Temperatures will climb from Sunday onwards topping out at a possible 32C on Wednesday as winds blow in warm weather from southern Europe.

And, after a turbulent past week that saw severe thunderstorms across the north and snow in some parts of the West Midlands, the new bout of sunshine will start as early as Saturday for southern areas, forecasters say.

Andy Page, chief meteorologist with the Met Office, said: “Saturday will be brighter with many of us enjoying a dry day with warm sunshine and just a few isolated showers. A band of rain will move east across the UK during Saturday night, clearing Sunday morning.

“Then it will be another bright day for most on Sunday with sunny spells and scattered showers, these turning heavy across Northern Ireland and Scotland.”

While the start of the week will remain unsettled across northwestern Scotland, a warm and dry front will dominate almost everywhere else. Temperatures could rocket to 22C on Monday and 27C on Tuesday before peaking at 32C on Wednesday.

Martin Young, deputy chief meteorologist with the Met Office, said: “By the middle of next week we’ll see temperatures across much of England and Wales widely climbing into the mid to high twenties ... and it will probably be hot in parts of southern and eastern England, as temperatures peak close to 30C.

“It’s possible Northern Ireland and Scotland will join the rest of the country in seeing a spell of warmer weather later next week, as this hot air from the continent extends northwards across the UK.

“We’re keeping a close eye on the possibility of severe thunderstorms developing later next week too, triggered by the warm continental air.”

The hottest temperature so far this year was 28.9C recorded in Scotland’s border region in May.