Britons have hit the beach today as temperatures soared to a sweltering 79F (26C) ahead of the hottest day of the year tomorrow.
Sunbathers, kayakers and paddleboarders flocked to Bournemouth and Margate, while runners beat the heat with early morning jogs through central London.
The Met Office forecast highs of 79F (26C) today and a roasting 81F (28C) on Wednesday. Even the North could see 77F (25C).
Today could be the hottest day since Good Friday last month, while tomorrow will see temperatures rocket to the hottest day of the year so far.
It comes as thousands of people remain off work – either furloughed, laid off or working from home – and free to soak up the sun.
Summer Wallace, 19, walks along the sea front in Brighton, on the south coast, as the temperature rocketed on Tuesday
A packed Margate beach in Kent this afternoon saw people crowd on the sand as they soaked up the sun on one of the hottest days so far this year
People paddle in the water at a natural Lido in London on Tuesday as the capital faced the hottest weather across the country
Families enjoy the sizzling heat across the country, with these people taking some time to relax on the Bournemouth coast
A woman smiles and holds out her hand as she sits with a man on the beach at Bournemouth on Tuesday afternoon and bask in the hot weather
Bournemouth, on the Dorset coast, which has always been a popular getaway for Britons, was busy today as people looked to enjoy the hot weather
Three people stroll along Bournemouth beach on the south coast as tourists flocked to the seaside on Tuesday afternoon
Tourists flocked to the sandy beach in Bournemouth on Tuesday afternoon to enjoy the sizzling temperatures in the country this week
Huge numbers of people swarmed to the seaside to enjoy the weather on Tuesday afternoon, with Margate in Kent (pictured) being an example
Kayakers and paddleboarders raced across calm waters while swimmers took the plunge in sunny Bournemouth (pictured) this morning
Britons have descended on the beach bright and early as temperatures are due to hit a sweltering 79F (26C) today ahead of the hottest day of the year tomorrow. Pictured: A paddleboarder in Bournemouth
A man on a canoe paddles across the calm waters off the Bournemouth coast this morning ahead of soaring temperatures in the UK today
A group of women are pictured soaking up the sun in Greenwich Park, south-east London, during the sizzling heat on Tuesday
Hyde Park in central London was packed with people on the grass enjoying the searing heat on Tuesday afternoon
A police car drives through Hyde Park in central London as officers make sure people adhere to social distancing rules while they are out
The heat is partly thanks to warm air blowing over from Spain, which could see the country bask in temperatures higher than the Canary Islands.
London is expected to be the hottest, followed by East Anglia and Lincolnshire which are also anticipating searing heat.
But it will be followed by a wet low-pressure system hitting over the Bank Holiday weekend, seeing rain sweep in for much of the country.
Thunderstorms will hit on Thursday, with the South and Midlands most at risk, and deluges follow into a 68F (20C) Bank Holiday weekend.
There will also be wind gusts set to push a gale-force 50mph in parts of the West and 30mph in the East. Bank Holiday Monday could be sunnier, with 70F (21C) highs. w
A man enjoys the sun in Greenwich Park, London today, taking his top off and hanging it on his bike as he relaxes
A group made up of two men and three women swim in Bournemouth this morning. The men have immersed themselves fully while the women seem less keen to
A man tries to coax his dog into the water with him at the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, central London, on Tuesday morning
A man cycles through Greenwich Park in south-east London today on a folding bike as he enjoys the sizzling heat
Meanwhile runners beat the heat with an early morning jog through central London, with the Walkie Talkie and the Gherkin the backdrop for this man’s run
Two women walk out of the sea off the coast of Bournemouth during their early morning dip on Tuesday morning
Two people relax on the sand in the sun on Tuesday morning as they watch the waves roll in on the Bournemouth coast
A woman practises yoga on the grass at Potters Fields in central London this morning ahead of a sweltering day in the capital
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: ’28C is possible, with growing confidence we’ll see the warmest day of the year. Warm southerly winds will blow in, but the heat could well trigger thunderstorms on Thursday.
‘The week could end with rain, possibly torrential in places, but unsettled conditions may only be temporary in the South as high pressure builds again.’
Another Met Office forecaster said: ‘The unsettled period carries the risk of strong winds, mainly for western areas.’
The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze told Blowing Hot and Cold videochat: ‘Up to 28C is expected by midweek – but people taking trips out as we move into the Bank Holiday weekend might get a soaking.’
Bathers swim in the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, central London, alongside geese and other wildlife that flock to the pond
A woman takes a break on a patch of grass in Potters Fields, central London, after cycling on her bike through the capital today
Paddleboarders and a few swimmers were among the early risers to make it to the beach this morning as temperatures are set to his 79F (26C) today
A woman hauls her kayak back on to shore following a dip in the sea off the coast of Bournemouth on a sunny morning in the south
This man sprints past the iconic Shard in central London during his early morning jog this morning as amateur athletes try to beat the heat
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: ’28C is possible, with growing confidence we’ll see the warmest day of the year. Warm southerly winds will blow in, but the heat could well trigger thunderstorms on Thursday.’ Pictured: One person holds a float as she walks along the beach in Bournemouth this morning
A woman runs through central London with Tower Bridge in the background during her early morning exercise on Tuesday
Two men chat as one paddleboards in the sea at Bournemouth. It comes ahead of a hot day today and tomorrow, but worse weather for the rest of the week
One woman stretches during her yoga session in Potters Fields in central London on Tuesday morning