UK weather: 'Four-day heatwave' to blast Britain as temperatures soar to 30C

The weather forecaster has predicted that central, southern and eastern areas will turn “increasingly warm, or even hot” from Monday onwards, stating that it was possible that regions “may reach heat wave criteria” early next week.

It said: “Conditions look to turn increasingly warm, or even hot, in central, southern and eastern areas early next week and it is possible some places may reach heatwave criteria. It’s uncertain how long this warmer weather will last though, with a possible breakdown from mid-week.”

A heatwave is declared in the UK when an area records at least three successive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. This varies by county.

Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden predicts the warm weather will last until Wednesday, predicting “skyrocketing” highs of 30C in southern regions.

He said during this “three to four day” period, Britons can expect a “significant build of high pressure and a massive rise in temperatures across our shores”.

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Writing on Facebook, Madden said: “There is no reason as to why we won't see top temperatures in and around the mid-30Cs developing in parts across the southern half of the country during the peak of this.”

“From this Sunday to around Wednesday at the very least of next week, we will see a significant build of high pressure and a massive rise in temperatures.”

“Overall temperatures will skyrocket during this three-to four-day period, and there is no reason not to see top temperatures in the mid-30Cs in parts of the south.”

Discussing the balmy weather, David Hayter, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “As we go through the weekend, the jet stream will weaken to the west of the UK generating an area of high pressure that will slowly move in across the UK. High pressure means the air is sinking from higher in the atmosphere and that brings drier, settled and sunnier weather.

“Temperatures will rise too, becoming widely above average. We could see maxima of 27°C in the south and 25°C in the northeast by Sunday. There’s a bit more in the way of patchy cloud in Northern Ireland, south and west Scotland and the northern isles, so temperatures will be lower there.”

Earlier this month, the hottest day of the year so far was recorded at St James’s Park in central London, at a scorching 31.9C.

The warm weather will come as a welcome relief to many, after a damp start to the month which saw some areas experience a month’s worth of rainfall in the first week.