Brits are set for another scorching day with 23C highs and the hot weather will continue over the weekend before cooling slightly next week.
It was a hot and humid day for much of the country on Wednesday as temperatures hit the mid-20Cs before heavy rain and thunderstorms struck in the evening.
The UK has enjoyed a warm week so far thanks to a North African plume bringing hot air northwards and Tuesday was the warmest day of the year so far with 27.5C recorded at Heathrow Airport.
But a Met Office yellow warning was in place for the South East on Wednesday night and it lasted until 3am.
It is likely to be another hot day today and while it will be slightly cooler on Friday with some showers, the temperatures should reach the mid-20Cs again over the weekend.
BBC forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker said: “Looking at the weather map for Thursday and this weather front here just exiting into the North Sea, this is the weather front that will have been responsible for the thundery rain and low pressure to the north west of us and the wind is blowing in from the south west.
"This is a warm atmosphere which has spread right across the country and into Scandinavia and much of Europe so it is never going to be cold, it’s always going to be on the warm side.
"So a relatively mild if not muggy morning and then a mainly bright or sunny afternoon, there will be a few showers in the very far north of Scotland and then maybe in Northern Ireland but essentially speaking it is a very pleasant afternoon.
"High teens around mainly northern and western areas, easily into the 20Cs across the bulk of England inland.”
The outlook for Friday though is for more cloudy weather and more frequent showers from fronts coming in from the west and south with maximum temperatures in the high-teens.
Then the outlook is for the temperatures to rise again for the weekend before a more unsettled picture for next week.
"For the weekend the high pressure will start to build from the south so that does mean the weather will stabilise," said Mr Schafernaker.
"It doesn’t mean that it will be completely dry, there is the possibility of a few showers particularly in north western areas but the bulk of England and Wales is in for a fine day and the temperatures will recover somewhat 21C in London for example. "
And Sunday is expected to be warmer again with highs of 23C for south east of the country.
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Dry and bright for many today.
Today:
Residual cloud and showery rain clearing far southeast of England. Otherwise, mostly dry with sunny spells and feeling warm in the south and east. Windy and rather cloudy in far northwest with some showery rain at times.
Tonight:
Windy across far northwest with further rain at times, edging east across NI later. Clear spells elsewhere before cloud increases and brings some patchy rain northwards into southern England later.
Friday:
Patchy rain in south clearing during the morning. A bright start elsewhere with a rain band moving across Northern Ireland and west Scotland, before turning showery across rest of UK.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Saturday fine for most with sunny spells but rain spreading into northwestern areas. Sunday still fine in the southeast, rain or showers elsewhere. Sunshine and showers for most on Monday.
