UK weather forecast: Met Office issues heat warning as temperatures set to soar to 36C

The Met Office has issued a heat warning as parts of the UK are set for a scorching weekend.

The Level 2 heat alert for south east England is in place from 12pm on Thursday until 9am on Sunday.

After a mixed spell of weather at the start of the week, temperatures could hit 36C in some parts of the UK at the weekend.

Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said: “There will be a warm spell across the UK but at the moment this hot weather will be focused in the south east of England.

"At the minute and with high confidence, we are expecting 34C to 36C by Friday and Saturday."

The high temperatures are the result of southerly winds moving from Europe and high pressure patterns that are set to kick in from around Thursday.

Ms Diamond said: “The pressure pattern is generally high, so in combination with the southerly winds and high pressure we get settled, sunny and hot weather.”

It is due to come after a "mixed start" to the week.

Sunny spells and generally settled weather can be enjoyed across southern areas, but heavy rain is on the way for Northern Ireland and Scotland on Tuesday.

Ms Diamond added that things then start to settle down from Wednesday with warm weather developing across the UK, “but it is going to turn hot across the South East, where temperatures are going to be well into the 30Cs.”s

These high temperatures could trigger some thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.

It comes after temperatures reached 37.8C at London’s Heathrow Airport at 2.41pm and also reached 37.3C (99.1F) at Kew Gardens, in west London on Friday, making it the third hottest day ever recorded in the UK.

The highest ever UK temperature, 38.7C, was recorded in Cambridge University Botanic Garden on July 25 2019.

The second hottest day ever was a recorded at 38.5C in Faversham, Kent, on August 10, 2003.