How long will the UK's heatwave last and where will thunderstorms hit?
Parts of the UK are set to bask in temperatures hotter than Brazil this weekend following the hottest and sunniest spring since records began.
As hundreds of thousands head to Somerset for the Glastonbury music festival, Britons are bracing for what could be the second heatwave in as many weeks.
Changeable weather is expected in the run-up to the weekend, before the temperature could climb above 30C.
Will there be a heatwave?
The UK recorded its warmest day of the year last week when a provisional high of 33.2C was noted by the Met Office on 21 June in Charlwood, Surrey.
The Met Office said several places in England and one or two areas in Wales, including Cardiff, entered a heatwave on 20 June.
Britons may now get to enjoy a second bout of warm weather and sunshine.
Temperatures are expected to hit 28C on Friday before climbing one degree each day into Monday, where temperatures will top out at 31C.
An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK.
What about the next few days?
Unfortunately, the weather is going to get worse before it gets better.
The Met Office say there is a real 'threat of heavy, possibly thundery showers' hitting parts of the UK on Wednesday, though other areas will be 'humid and very warm'.
Where will the thunderstorms hit?
Thunderstorms with 'lightning, hail, and heavy rain' may lash the south east of England overnight before clearing on Thursday, forecaster Paul Gundersen said.
He added that rain will likely move eastwards across the UK into Thursday before clearing to showers, with some sunny spells breaking through.
'Friday will start dry in the east, with rain moving in from the west, becoming showery later,' he said.
Mr Gundersen said that many parts of the country will stay dry on Saturday, with a patch of rain moving southeast and easing.
Sunday is due to see 'variable cloud and showers' in the north, with 'patchy rain and drizzle' in the west, but otherwise stay dry with sunny spells, he added.
Could there be a 'super plume' this summer?
The position of this year's jet stream means the UK will be more susceptible to hot, humid plumes of air from Europe heading into the summer.
The last time the conditions were this favourable was in 2022, when a June heatwave reached temperatures above 40C.
But the Met Office says it is too early to suggest such high temperatures could hit the UK again.
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