Britons are set to enjoy takeaway booze amid sunshine and temperatures of 73F on the longest day of the year today – before a tropical heatwave sets in next week.
Most areas of the country are set to feel much warmer than Friday today with temperatures possibly reaching 23C in London and Brighton this afternoon.
Many will be out and about to enjoy the sunshine as pubs begin to sell takeaway drinks and food for park and beach-goers.
The Met Office said: ‘Most places will be dry with sunny spells and feeling warmer than the last few days. One or two isolated showers are likely.’
Today also marks the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere with the most hours of daylight. The UK will enjoy 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight.
English Heritage will stream the sunset at Stonehenge this evening and is putting on a host of activities including interviews with experts and historians to mark the occasion.
But the hottest weather is expected midway through next week in southern England, with the mercury set to rise from 72F (22C) on Monday to 81F (27C) on Tuesday and then hit the peak on Wednesday and Thursday.
Today marks the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere with the most hours of daylight. The UK will enjoy 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. Pictured: a group of friends stand and watch the sunrise at Saltburn beach this morning
Londoners were out and about early this morning enjoying the sunshine in Battersea Park. Temperatures could reach 23C in the capital this afternoon
Most areas of the country are set to feel much warmer than Friday today with temperatures possibly reaching 23C in London and Brighton this afternoon. Pictured: a woman walks her dogs in Battersea Park this morning
Today also marks the summer solstice – the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere with the most hours of daylight. Pictured are people exercising in Battersea Park this morning
A woman sits and watches the sunrise at Saltburn beach on the morning of the summer solstice. Today marks the longest day of the year
The Met Office has also warned hayfever sufferers that grass pollen will give high or very high pollen levels in the coming days – especially in Cardiff and London by Monday.
Britain will see its hottest day of the year so far, beating May 29 when 82.9F (28.3C) was recorded at Cromdale in Scotland. England’s warmest day so far was May 20 when Santon Downham in Suffolk got to 82.7F (28.2C).
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page 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.’
The Met Office has also warned hayfever sufferers that grass pollen will give high or very high pollen levels in the coming days. Pictured: a runner in Battersea Park this morning
Many will be out and about to enjoy the sunshine as pubs begin to sell takeaway drinks and food for park and beach-goers. Pictured: two people ride bikes in Battersea Park this morning
Londoners enjoying the sunshine at Battersea Park this morning. Next week temperatures in the capital could reach 32C
Sunrise at Saltburn beach on the morning of the summer solstice. English Heritage will also stream the sunset at Stonehenge this evening
Sea swimmers watch the sunrise as they enjoy a socially distanced morning dip at Saltburn beach on the longest day of the year
This European map shows how tropical air is set to sweep over Britain and take temperatures up to 90F (32C) next week
Temperatures of up to 73F (23C) are expected in parts of southern England this weekend, but there could be rain on Sunday
Londoners were out and about in Battersea Park this morning as the sunshine today is set to continue into next week when there will be a heatwave
By the middle of next week temperatures across much of England and Wales will widely climb into the mid to high twenties. Pictured: a man enjoying the sunshine in Battersea Park this morning
Early next week it will stay unsettled across north-western parts of the UK, but elsewhere it will be warm and dry with temperatures continuing to rise through the week.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Martin Young 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 Celsius and it will probably be hot in parts of southern and eastern England, as temperatures peak close to 30 Celsius.
‘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.’
It comes after villagers were forced to flee their homes in South Wales after heavy rain flooded them for the third time this year. More than 200 properties across the Rhondda Valley suffered significant flooding earlier this week.
One of the worst-hit communities was Pentre where houses filled with water – four months after it was hit twice by flooding during Storm Dennis. Elsewhere, locals said flooding in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was ‘worse than ever’.
Another video shared online by the Environment Agency showed cars driving through a flooded street in Birmingham. Some downpours this week brought up to 1.2in (30mm) of rain within an hour.