Brits can look forward to scorching temperatures in the middle of the week which could hit 22C and make it warmer than Spanish holiday hotspot Benidorm.
Many people may have missed out on sunny weather for Bank Holiday Monday with plenty of cloud about up and down the country.
And it is expected to be another cloudy day on Tuesday before a high pressure system sweeps in from the south bringing hotter temperatures which are set to peak with 22C on Thursday.
“We take lots of that cloud with us into Tuesday," said BBC weather forecaster Ben Rich.
“It is low cloud and it turning things quite murky and misty in places. There are some weak frontal systems just providing enough impetus to give a little bit of rain and drizzle here and there but for most a cloudy start to Tuesday, some spots of rain and drizzle around."
The mercury is set to rise, though, after Tuesday and it comes with mixed weather on the Spanish Costas for anyone braving the airport queues and heading abroad.
It will be a rainy midweek for Benidorm with the mercury only rising to 17C on Wednesday.
The hot weather in the UK is thanks to a high pressure system moving in, said Mr Rich.
He continued: "High pressure building from the south, frontal systems running towards the north west of the UK and this broadly south-westerly flow of air bringing some rather warm conditions in our direction.
"So Thursday it looks like this, much of England and Wales will be dry with sunny spells and just the odd shower. Northern Ireland and Scotland seeing more cloud and some splashes of rain at times but not all the time. But the temperatures 15C there for Glasgow, 16C for Belfast ... 21C in London, maybe somewhere in the south east getting to 22C.
"On Friday there will be some warmth once again towards the south east of the country but this band of rain looks like it will make some progress southwards and behind that something just a little bit cooler and fresher so temperatures of 12C for Stornoway but 20C the high in London.”
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge similarly predicted highs in the low 20Cs
“This week is a funny old one," he said.
"There’s a far bit of rain and cloud around as well as sunny spells, with many areas gradually warming up until Thursday, which should be the warmest day. Between Monday and Wednesday temperatures will sit in the high teens and low 20s in Wales and central and southern parts of the England, while eastern Scotland could reach 19C.
"But in parts of Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland there will be cloud and some scattered showers. Thursday will see high teens quite widely across the country, parts of the South East will rise as high as 21C, with an outside chance of 22C in areas where there is more sunshine."
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Rather cloudy with scattered showers.
Today:
There will be a good deal of cloud along with a scattering of showers, although a few bright or sunny intervals are likely. Warmer than the last couple of days across southwestern areas.
Tonight:
Another mostly cloudy night with a few showers and then outbreaks of rain, heavy in places, moving east across central and northern areas.
Wednesday:
Rain turning showery across central and eastern parts of England by afternoon. Some heavy showers with chance of hail and thunder. Drier in west and north with sunny spells developing.
Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:
Mainly fine and rather warm Thursday, though some rain or showers for northern and western areas. Band of rain, locally heavy clears southeast Friday, with settled weather following for most.
