Hot weather maps turn bright red as 26C heat bomb swirls over UK in days

A spell of wet weather over the Bank Holiday will be chased out by a return to highs of 26C within a matter of days, suggest. Southern parts of the UK are set to welcome back above-average temperatures and dry, this week, according to predictions from WXCharts and Net Weather. Areas around , Surrey and Essex will see the sharpest rise, from the mid-teens to the high twenties, on Friday, May 30, with a stretch of England, from the East Midlands down to the Devon coast, recording temperatures of around 22C in the same period - with maps turning crimson red as the heat intensifies.

Northern regions including Scotland, Cumbria and Northumberland will see forecasts remain largely steady throughout the week, meanwhile, oscillating between around 10C and 17C. The return to summery weather, albeit only for a 24-hour spike, comes after a drizzly Bank Holiday weekend brought a sudden end to the record-breaking dry spring previously seen across the UK.

This week's burst of renewed sunny, warm weather will begin to set in, especially in southeastern areas, from around midday on Friday, before reaching its peak in most places at about 3pm.

Brits will be able to enjoy an end-of-the-week pint in the sunshine, as the settled conditions will hold into the evening and following morning - when forecasts could dip back down to seasonal averages of roughly 18C.

The Met Office's long-range forecast for the week commencing Saturday, May 31, warns of changeable weather, with showery interludes, especially in northern England, and intermittent periods of "very warm, perhaps hot" conditions in the south - bringing with them a chance of thunderstorms.

Today:

Cloud and drizzle expected across England and Wales, alongside heavy winds. Intermittent sunshine and rain across Scotland and a dry afternoon in Northern Ireland.

Tonight:

Dry for many after initial morning rainfall - with showers continuing in Wales, the Midlands and East Anglia.

Wednesday:

Warmer and drier in most areas, with sunny spells and the odd shower. Fine conditions most likely in the southwest.

Outlook for Thursday to Friday:

Further rainfall likely, especially in northern regions, as weather becines gradually drier and warmer in the south.