UK now set for second heatwave in May after this weekend's 26C scorcher

UK hot weather maps show Britain hit by a second May heatwave after this weekend's forecasted 26C highs. New weather maps and charts show a second Iberian plume sweeping into the country, scorching Britain with rising mercury as the country sizzles.

WX Charts, using Met Desk data, and Netweather have forecast hot weather to come to the UK at the end of next week (May 17 and 18). Peterborough, Norwich, London and Canterbury look set to be warmest, the maps and charts indicate.

In an update looking at the end of the fifth month of the year, the Met Office said: "For the end of May and the start of June, it will probably start off fairly unsettled with rain or showers for many, but also some sunny spells between, and slightly-above average temperatures.

READ MORE UK tourists in Spain risk £5,000 fines over little-known '200 litre' water rule

"Through the period there are some tentative signs that conditions could become a little more settled in the south and east, with most of the rain reserved for the north and west. As we head into late spring and early summer, it will naturally feel warm in any sunshine, especially when winds fall light."

Looking ahead at the "rest of the month," Netweather TV explained: "Confidence in the weather during this period is relatively low, with few solid signals for this period. Still, it looks most probable that pressure will be above average to the northwest of Britain and potentially below average to the south and east.

"This means we will probably see a fair amount of dry, sunny weather in north-western Britain but more unsettled conditions at times for the east and south. Temperatures are likely to be near to slightly above average, mainly due to the elevated global temperatures and sea surface temperatures around the UK, as the winds are likely to often blow from relatively cool directions with some northerlies and/or north-westerlies at times, but some warmer easterlies are also possible.

"It is thus expected to be drier and sunnier than average in the north and west of Scotland, but potentially rather wet for eastern and southern England, though with considerable uncertainty over this: rainfall could merely end up about average, as there is not a strong signal for very wet weather. Sunshine is also more likely to be near or below average in eastern and southern Britain."