Britons are warming up for summer’s first barbecue weekend as thunder and rain give way to bubbling temperatures.
Rain and cloud are about to give way to widespread sunshine as the mercury nudges towards 30C.
This weekend is shaping up to be the warmest since the May heatwave, ending the largely miserable start to the season.
But a repeat of spring’s furnace ending is off the cards as weather models yo-yo between hotter and cooler temperatures.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “It does look like many of us are going to have a lot of dry weather this weekend because we are going to see high pressure developing.
“High pressure looks like it is dominant through the weekend and likely into next week.
“But there have been some significant model discrepancies, with previous models bringing warmer air further in across the UK, but now the models look a little cooler.
“But it is going to be settled and warm in any sunshine, but temperatures in the mid- to possibly high-20Cs are quite likely.”
Rain and cloud are about to give way to widespread sunshine as the mercury nudges towards 30C in Britain this month
|GB NEWS
Britain’s weather is about to fall to the mercy of battling pressure systems as high pressure locks horns with competing cyclonic lows.
At the start of the week, meteorological forecasting models suggested a win for high pressure and scorching heat.
Latest outlooks, however, suggest low pressure gaining more of an upper hand, putting a cap on the thermostat.
Mr Burkill said: “Fresher air from the north is edging its way in and warmer air is coming from the south.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
This weekend is shaping up to be the warmest since the May heatwave, ending the largely miserable start to the season
| GETTY“While there is high confidence in the weather turning more settled, it is uncertain just how warm it is going to be.
“To the southwest there is a greater chance of warm air coming through with temperatures more likely to be above average.
“There is a reasonable chance that the fine weather will last until Monday.”
Sunday will be the warmest day of the weekend with the mercury expected to top 27C in the south and the low to mid-20s further north.
A cooler start to the week may then give way to another hotter spell the following weekend.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of "Surviving Extreme Weather", said: “It is going to start feeling warmer from Thursday and Friday, and this weekend we are likely to see temperatures, in parts, back in the mid-20Cs.
“But it is not going to be a repeat of the end of May, with temperatures just above average rather than at heatwave level.
“As we go further into June, and the summer as a whole, there will be a greater chance of seeing temperatures back in the 30Cs.”
Britain is not yet being warned to brace for another heatwave – three or more days of temperatures hitting threshold levels of around 28C.
With warmer weather on the way, those heading out to enjoy the sun are warned to take care in open waterways.
A Met Office spokesman said: “Sunday looks to be the warmest day of the weekend, with many areas enjoying dry conditions and spells of sunshine.
“The best of the brightness is expected in southern areas, where temperatures may climb further and feel locally very warm.
“However, this warmth is unlikely to be widespread across the UK, with northern and northwestern areas more prone to cloud and occasional light rain or drizzle.
“People heading to the coast should be mindful that sea surface temperatures are not as high as they would be in mid-summer.”
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter