Friday has been the hottest day of the year so far, the Met Office confirmed, with temperatures reaching 31.2C at Heathrow Airport.
Prior to Friday, the warmest day of the year was on June 26, when temperatures reached 30.5C at Wisley in Surrey.
The scorching temperatures mean parts of the UK are experiencing hotter weather than Ibiza today, with highs of 28C expected on the Spanish island.
The south-east of England and London has bore the brunt of the heat with the mercury extending over 30C today.
The balmy weather comes as a welcome break for many Brits after a wet start to July saw the country already being hit by 97 per cent of the month’s average rainfall.
BRIGHTON: Women dive into the sea to escape the heat on the UK’s hottest day of the year so far
BRIG|HTON: A woman takes to the refreshing haven of the waves to cool down in the stifling heat
KENT: While many Brits were keen to kick back and relax, one individual took the chance to flyboard in Dover
DORSET: Weymouth beach is busy with sunbathers enjoying the scorching hot afternoon sunshine
BROADSTAIRS: Temperatures are set to rocket this weekend, bring a close to a miserable week of rain
BROADSTAIRS: RNLI lifeguards were hard at work as families gingerly stepped into the sea
BRIGHT0N: One woman appeared to have found a novel way of working remotely, as she is seen perusing her laptop with intense while lying on a sun lounger on Brighton Beach
BRIGHTON: Sun-seekers enjoy a day out on Brighton beach
BROADSTAIRS: Two women got their tan on in Broadstairs, east of England, yesterday ahead of a mini-heatwave
A weather map from the Met Office shows the searing temperatures across the UK today
DORSET: A beachgoer in Weymouth ensures their dog is able to have some respite from the heat, as they treat it to a ride on a paddleboard
DORSET: Sunbathers on the beach enjoying the scorching hot afternoon sunshine on Weymouth beach
DORSET: The busy beach at Weymouth as sunseekers finally got to enjoy some summer weather
DORSET: Many children had the chance to enjoy a day out at the beach following the start of the summer holidays. Pictured: a child riding a donkey in Weymouth
DORSET: People eager to make the most of the hottest day of the year so far flocked to popular seaside towns such as Bournemouth (pictured), Brighton and Dover
DORSET: People enjoy the hot weather on the beach in Bournemouth
PORTSMOUTH: People soak up the sun and heat at the Hot Walls by the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour
The Met Office said temperatures could increase further on Friday, and it is likely to remain very warm overnight.
But things will begin to cool down over the weekend and there could be thunderstorms overnight into Saturday.
Saturday’s highest temperature will be 28C or 29C, with the warmest spells likely to be seen in the east and south-east of England.
KENT: A couple enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Dover
KENT: A woman can be seen venturing into the shallows from the shore as she prepares to paddleboard
KENT: One couple take a dip in the sea together, as they were seen conversing with one another on lilos
The predicted forecast has sparked the UK Health Security Agency to sound a 54 hour heat health alert for large swathes of Britain
On Sunday the weather will have a cooler, fresher feel to it, but it will still be warm and mostly dry.
The Met Office said: ‘We could see some very heavy bursts of rain as the day (Saturday) progresses, with the potential for thunderstorms in eastern England on Saturday afternoon into evening.
‘Some heavy rainfall in narrow corridors across the north-western half of the UK is also likely on Saturday night into early Sunday.’
LONDON: People enjoying the sunshine in Granary Square on a hot and humid day in the capital
LONDON: A sunbather enjoys the hot weather at Green Park in central London
LONDON: Brits looking to cool down in the excruciating heat of the capital took a dive in Hampstead Heath ponds to freshen up
OXFORDSHIRE: People swim at Banbury Lido at Woodgreen Leisure Centre. South-eastern England is likely to see the UK’s hottest day of the year by far on Frida
HAMPSHIRE: A woman relaxes on a lounger while soaking up the sun at Petersfield Open Air Pool on Friday
Met Office spokesperson Laura Maxey said England had 97 per cent of July’s average rainfall between July 1 and 15, while Wales had 65 per cent, Scotland 49 per cent and Northern Ireland 47 per cent.
London has had 154 per cent of its July average already and Dorset 120 per cent. Edinburgh has only had 40 per cent and Dundee 33 per cent.
Ms Maxey added: ‘There are quite big regional differences but overall it’s looking like a wet month so far.
‘There is a caveat that, with a dry couple of weeks, by the end of the month things could even themselves out.’
She said that two or three heavy downpours often caused much of a location’s July rainfall totals, rather than a prolonged period of wet weather.
St Swithin’s Day on Monday – traditionally said to predict the next 40 days of weather – was another wet one for much of England and Wales.
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