UK weather forecast: Britain set for hottest day of the year as scorching 26C heat imminent

However, that milestone could be beaten this week as a "hot spot" hits the UK.

Nick Finns, a senior forecaster at Netweather has predicted temperatures as high as 26C on Wednesday.

Finns said: "Sunday saw the warmest day of the year so far, reaching 24.4C in Plymouth.

"High pressure will stay in control of our weather throughout this week, centred over Scotland or close to the northwest.

"With lighter winds across Scotland but a strong easterly or northeasterly breeze towards southern and eastern England, the highest temperatures this week will be in the west.

"The ‘hot spot’ could be across the Central Belt, with a high of 25-26C for Glasgow possibly on the cards on Wednesday, making the warmest temperature of the year so far.

"The northeasterly wind will feed in cloud at times across central, southern eastern areas of Britain, feeding inland overnight and burning back to the east coast during the day.

"So, the best of the sunshine and highest temperatures will generally be towards the west.

"So an east vs west contrast in temperatures and amount of sunshine throughout much of the week."

Finns added that Glasgow will see the highest temperature on Wednesday across the UK.

He said: "Low cloud rolling back in from the east Tuesday night could be quite extensive across England and east Wales to start on Wednesday, thick enough for the odd spot of drizzle.

"Cloud more stubborn to clear back to eastern England through the afternoon where it may linger.

"Otherwise sunniest for longest in the west and this is where we’ll see highest temperatures – perhaps reaching 25-26C in Glasgow, 20-22C elsewhere in the west and south, 16-17C near the east coast."