The Met Office has forecast that parts of the UK, including London and East Anglia, could reach 27C on Friday, making it the warmest day of the year so far. This would surpass temperatures in Sydney, Buenos Aires, Tunis, and even Honolulu, Hawaii, where highs of 26C are predicted.
Friday's highs in the south-east are expected to be about 10C above the seasonal average of 15-17C. Meteorologist Simon Partridge attributed the warm weather to 'very warm, humid air coming up from the south,' bringing sunshine to eastern and south-eastern areas.
However, not all regions will bask in the heat. Cloud cover over Scotland, the Pennines, and the Midlands could bring heavy rain on Friday. 'Unfortunately, it doesn't mean everybody's going to get a warm, dry, beautiful day,' Partridge noted.
The bank holiday weekend is expected to see changeable conditions, with Saturday bringing bright spells but also showers, particularly in northern and western parts. Sunday is forecast to be rainy across the country, and temperatures will cool to near average by Monday, with highs of 11-12C in the north and 15-16C in the south.
The brief hot spell follows an April that was drier and warmer than average for much of the UK, with all four nations recording higher mean temperatures than the long-term average, according to provisional Met Office figures.
