UK weather: Britain set for hottest week of year with temperatures forecast to soar past 30C

The UK is set to bake in its hottest week of the year so far, with temperatures forecast to soar past 30C.

Meteorologists say Britons can look forward to barbecues, beer gardens and basking in the sun as summer hits full swing with “wall-to-wall sunshine”.

It follows a warm and dry weekend in which the World Cup also heated up with England’s qualification to the knockout stages.

The hottest day of 2018 so far was in April, when a temperature of 29.1C was recorded at St James’s Park, central London.

“We would expect at some point this week to beat that,” said Met Office forecaster Sophie Yeomans.

“We are going to continue with the dry and sunny weather for most places. Top temperatures are going to be on the rise.

“We could see temperatures into the low thirties some time this week, possibly from Tuesday, but more likely from Wednesday.”

The Met Office said temperatures would remain in the high twenties “widely” across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout the week.

Many parts of England and Wales are expected to top 30C, with some reaching as high as 32C, forecasters added.

“With almost wall-to-wall sunshine we’ll certainly be looking at conditions which many of us would call a heatwave,” said Met Office chief meteorologist Frank Saunders.

The warm, dry weather is expected to last for the rest of the month and into the start of July.

While many will welcome the heatwave, experts warned people to take precautions against the heat and high UV levels.

“Now is a really good time to think about what you can do to protect you and your family and friends’ health during summer,” said Owen Landeg, a scientist at Public Health England. “For some people, such as older people, those with underlying health conditions and those with young children, the summer heat can bring real health risks.”

Hayfever sufferers are also likely to struggle with consistently high pollen levels.

Ms Yeomans added: “The pollen levels are going to be very high right throughout the week, with grass pollen the main allergen there, so for hayfever sufferers it’s bad news.”

The record June temperature in the UK is 35.6C, recorded in London on 29 June 1957 and Southampton on 28 June 1976.