Met Office predicts ‘hottest day’ so far as glorious 25C sunshine forecast over Bank Holiday weekend

The hottest day of the year so far is expected to arrive over the Bank Holiday weekend, with temperatures tipped to hit highs of up to 24C.

The Met Office said the UK’s prolonged spell of good weather looks set to continue, although the warmer weather will not be experienced by all, with the east coast only expected to see highs of 15C over the Bank Holiday.

It comes after the highest temperature of 23.4C was recorded on Monday. The Met Office had predicted record heat on Wednesday but temperatures fell slightly short.

Now the forecaster believes temperatures could hit 24C on either Saturday or Sunday in the West Midlands and south east Wales.

Before then, Thursday is expected to be cloudier but still “a dry, fine day for most”. Temperatures could reach highs of 24 or 25C in parts of East Wales, West Midlands and South West England, beating Monday’s record of the hottest day of the year so far.

It would make the UK hotter than the likes of popular holiday destinations Barcelona and Nice. In Barcelona temperatures are only expected to reach 19C on Thursday, while in Nice temperatures are forecast to climb to 21C.

In the south east of England the weather will be a little cooler, with an onshore breeze keeping temperatures slightly lower on Thursday.

In Scotland, temperatures of around 18C are expected, with the Shetland islands forecast to see temperatures of around 11C or 12C.

A Met Office spokesman said high pressure is “firmly in charge” across the UK and for most people it will be “fine and bright”, with little if any rain.

Temperatures are not expected to meet the threshold for a heatwave, which is highs of 25C to 28C across a three-day period, but the Met Office said the temperatures forecast are slightly above the average for May.

For the bank holiday weekend the forecaster said it will “remain settled” with “plenty of sunshine although cloudier in the northwest with patchy rain at times”, adding that conditions will “feel warm” but it will “often cool at night”.

Heading into June, high pressure is expected to continue to dominate the weather meaning more dry conditions for much of the country.