Bank Holiday motorists face up to 13 hours of traffic misery as millions take to roads for this weekend’s heatwave.
Temperatures are expected to reach 86F (30C) – double the average for the time of year in Celsius of 59F (15C) – with parts of Britain being as hot as Hawaii as the UK enjoys the warmest temperatures of the year so far.
But journeys of under 100 miles from London could take up to 70 per cent longer to reach – and a London to Edinburgh drive is predicted to take up to 13 hours instead of the normal seven, according to traffic analysts Inrix.
This weekend, temperatures could reach 86F (30C) in some places in South East England on Sunday, the same as Honolulu, and widespread maximum temperatures of 81F (27C) are likely across parts of the country.
But forecasters warn that with the sizzling conditions, which will be increasingly humid, comes the risk of thundery showers, particularly in the South.
Georgia Stubbs, 21, makes the most of the sunshine today on Bournemouth beach in Dorset as the warm weather continues
Giverny Helliar, 23, takes a closer look at the wisteria in the Sundial Garden in Exbury Gardens in the New Forest today
A picture of tranquility in the Lake District today where blue skies and the fells reflect in the clear, glassy waters of Buttermere
Visitors to Westgate Gardens in Canterbury, Kent, enjoy the weather today by taking a punt ride along the River Great Stour
There was gorgeous weather across the Portland Bill shoreline today as temperatures soared for another hot day
Cygnets hitch a ride with a mother swan on the River Cam in Cambridge today in the warm weather
Bright, vivid and vibrant: The warm May weather has produced a swathe of radiant blooms around the ‘Azalea Bowl’ on the banks of the Beaulieu River in the New Forest, Hampshire. The beautiful scene is part of the 200-acre Exbury Gardens where visitors have been enjoying riverside walks and family picnics since the 1950s
Renee Visser, 19, takes a walk around the Azalea Bowl in Exbury Gardens
Meanwhile, people jetting off for weekend breaks to the Mediterranean are likely to find slightly cooler conditions. Temperatures of 82F (28C) have been forecast on Sunday in Rome and Dubrovnik, and 77F (25C) in Marbella.
Southern Britain is also likely to be hotter than North Africa, with 77F (25C) forecast in Marrakech the same day. And the Met Office said the conditions are set to last towards at least the middle of next week.
The North and West of England and Wales are likely to be fine and dry but with slightly lower temperatures, peaking at 73F (23C) on Sunday and Monday.
Predictions for the weekend follow record-breaking heat during this year’s early May bank holiday, when 83.6F (28.7C) was recorded at Northolt, North West London, on Monday, May 7.
The previous hottest early May bank holiday weekend was in 1995, when temperatures peaked at 83.4F (28.6C) on the Saturday.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: ‘The warm weather is being caused by a dominant area of high pressure, which is dragging air north from parts of France.
Showers are expected in parts of western England and Wales tomorrow afternoon, but temperatures will remain high
Temperatures are expected to soar this weekend, with widespread maximums of 81F (27C) likely across parts of the country
‘We are likely to see the warmest day of the year so far, with 30C (86F) possible in isolated parts of south east England on Sunday. The previous warmest day was April 19, when 29.1C (84.3F) was recorded.’
But Mr Madge added: ‘Because the air will have originated from the Bay of Biscay, it will be more humid and moisture will also be drawn up from the sea around Britain, leading to the risk of heavy and thundery showers.
‘Away from the showers, it will be a good weekend for many, although there may be prolonged low cloud and fog near the east coast which will make it cooler and not so pleasant.’
Tomorrow and Friday are likely to be a mixture of sunshine and thundery showers.
Heavy showers are likely in the south today, whereas the north is due to remain mostly dry, but they are due to occur again on Friday, in the Midlands and moving northwards.
Saturday is set to be mainly fine but becoming increasingly warm with the risk of showers in the south. Maximum temperatures of 72F (22C) in the north and 79F (26C) in the south are likely.
The Met Office said the warm and sunny weather is set to continue towards the middle of next week for many areas but there is a chance of ‘longer spells of heavy, thundery rain’ developing.
Looking forward into June, a spokesman said: ‘It is likely to remain drier and warmer than average.’