UK heatwave this weekend will see three parts of England roast 'hottest'

Incredible weather maps show the UK sizzling yellow as the country is hit by the first heatwave of May. Maps and charts from WX Charts show East Anglia, London and the Midland will be hottest this weekend in a heatwave with the mercury hitting 26C - the hottest day of the year thus far.

London and the south will sizzle in temperatures of up to 26C, with the east of England and Midlands too earmarked as areas for stifling conditions. In the North West, highs of 19C are expected, while the North East sees similar thermometer levels.

The Met Office explained: "High pressure is set to dominate, with temperatures continuing to rise. Highs of 25C are possible tomorrow (Friday) and could reach up to 26C in the south on Saturday and Sunday. Although the majority of the UK will enjoy this fine weather, showers more unsettled conditions are likely in the far north and northwest."

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The maps and charts, from WX Charts, are projected using Met Desk data and show the temperatures rocketing. The warm weather brings an increase in UV levels, and over the next few days, they are expected to reach moderate to high levels across the UK.

"High pressure dominates at the moment. The temperatures will be slightly above average for the time of year and Saturday is looking like the warmest day this week, when temperatures could peak at 26C," Andrea Bishop, spokesperson at the Met Office, said earlier this week.

"But we are encouraging people to take note of the pollen count and UV levels as these will both be high this week. So, if you do have hayfever, it may be unpleasant and you should take relief. Today, pollen levels will be at their highest at around 1pm and they'll remain high for most of the week.

"There are instances of high pollen levels and UV levels over the next few days, including Saturday, so we are encouraging people to be aware."