Get set for the heatwave! Met Office map shows which parts of UK will be sweltering next week - as hay fever sufferers are hit by 'pollen bomb'
- Temperatures will reach 30C in some parts as wet spring gives way to sun
Heatwaves are likely to descend on parts of the UK next week in a short-lived burst of sun after a drizzly spring, forecasters have said.
A map has shown which parts of the country will bake in the heat, with London and the south east set for temperatures as high as 29C.
Most of the UK 'will experience the finest conditions and highest temperatures so far this year' and some isolated weather stations may see temperatures hit 30C, the Met Office said.
Higher temperatures are due to arrive early next week and 'many places' are forecast to reach the mid-20Cs, with heatwaves predicted in central and southern parts of the country.
It marks a break from a wetter than usual spring, which saw 32% more rainfall than the average in England and Wales, the fifth rainiest on record for England and eighth wettest for Wales.
More misery is on the way for hay fever suffers however, with a 'pollen bomb' being forecasted for nearly all parts of the UK.
Britain is set to bake in a heatwave next week. Pictured: People relaxing on Clacton beach
The Met Office is forecasting temperatures as high as 29C for London and parts of the south east, while other areas will see two to three days in the mid twenties
In less welcome news for hay fever suffers, a 'pollen bomb' will hit most areas of the UK, with very high levels expected everywhere except in northern Scotland
Sunbathers enjoy the warm weather at a park in Newcastle city centre on Friday
A high-pressure system is expected to halt the wet weather coming in from the Atlantic for a few days.
Operational meteorologist Honor Criswick said: 'As we're pushing into next week we're starting to see the hotter spells, but it is going to be quite brief.
'It will be a brief hot spell, but perhaps a beginning to summer which I'm sure many people have been waiting around for.'
Despite the wet weather it has been the warmest May and spring ever recorded in the UK.
Sunbathers have been warned to take care when entering cool water during hot spells to avoid shock, and to choose lifeguarded beaches.
The RNLI is advising people to enter the sea gradually rather than diving in to avoid shock to the skin caused by sudden changes in temperature.
But the heat is only expected to last until Wednesday with heavy showers, thunderstorms and persistent rain possibly returning in the west as the week goes on.
A high pressure system is expected to halt the wet weather coming in from the Atlantic. Pictured: A woman reads a book in the sunshine in Newcastle
Despite some wet spells, Britain has experienced its warmest spring on record, with an average temperature of 13.1C
The average temperature has been 13.1C, beating the previous 2008 record of 12.1C.
Ms Criswick said 'a lot of people couldn't believe it when the spring stats came in', but added they were largely influenced by higher overnight temperatures.
Dan Rudman, Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, said on Friday: 'After a brief, less settled interlude today and tomorrow, fine conditions will return by Sunday and into the beginning of next week.
'Whether or not everyone experiences heatwave thresholds, the majority of the UK will experience the highest temperatures so far this year.
'Confidence in the forecast reduces markedly from Wednesday onwards, with uncertainty in both how long the heat will last and how it will break down, which we will be keeping an eye on for the coming days.
'However, by next weekend, cooler, changeable conditions become more likely.'
