UK could see hottest day of the year ahead of weekend heatwave
Northern Ireland isn't promised much sunshine but temperatures will soar as the week continues
Temperatures are expected to soar this week - ahead of a further blast of hot weather over the weekend.
The Met Office said highs of 33C are expected in some areas on Monday afternoon, with central, southern and eastern England all experiencing the rising temperatures during the heatwave.
It could mark the hottest day of the year so far, with the UK's record high for this year currently standing at 32.7C. It was recorded at Heathrow on June 17.
The warm weather is expected continue through the week in the high 20s for most until the weekend, when the mercury may rise again to 31C in places such as London, Reading and Oxford.
This means parts of the country will be hotter than some of the world's top beach destinations, including the Maldives and Marbella in Spain.
A Level Three Heat Health Alert has been issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) from 9am on Monday to 9am on Friday in the east and south-east of England, with the rest of the nation having a level 2 alert in place.
The four-level system highlights the potential health impacts of these high temperatures.
Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst told the PA news agency that England and Wales will experience sunshine on Monday, while Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to have a cloudy day with warm temperatures.
"For most of us it will be a dry and sunny day, well into the high 20s from the morning, with central, southern and eastern parts of England to possibly see maximum highs of 33C," he said.
"So it's very possible tomorrow will be the hottest day of the year so far, it will certainly be on par with the existing record, maybe more.
"It will also be very warm overnight going into Tuesday, remaining in the low 20s in cities, so many may experience an uncomfortable night."
The whole of England is largely expected to experience sunny days with some cloud over the next week to match the temperatures of mid to high 20s.
The forecaster has predicted it will cool off a little on Friday, with the north-west and north-east of England predicted to have some rain with temperatures reaching highs of 19C, ahead of a warmer weekend.
Scotland and Northern Ireland meanwhile are predicted to have a cloudier week ahead, with rain forecast for Tuesday and Friday.
Clouds with sunny spells could be widespread across the two areas for the rest of the week, with temperatures remaining in the mid to high teens throughout the week.
They will also benefit from the scorching weekend temperatures ahead alongside some cloud, with highs of 22C predicted in Glasgow and Belfast.