HEAT IS ON
UK weather – Britain to be hotter than IBIZA on 30C ‘hottest day of year’ as England play first Euro 2020 match
BRITS are braced for a scorching Sunday with it set to be hotter than Ibiza as temperatures are due to hit 30C on the “hottest day of the year”.
Things are also expected to sizzle on the pitch at Wembley as England launch their Euro 2020 campaign in their Group D match against Croatia.
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Parts of the UK will be hotter than holiday destinations in Ibiza, Mykonos - and even California - due to high pressure moving in from the south.
Northern parts of the UK are expected to be not quite as hot with temperatures in Scotland reaching 26C around Aberdeen.
Forecaster Alex Burkill said: "The picture this weekend looks very warm and sunny for much of the country.
"There will be some showers in parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland, and some cloud in the north-west though it will remain very warm in the sunshine."
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Saturday's top temperature was at Kew Gardens, South West London, as the mercury hit 24.8C.
Sunday is expected to be hotter still, with the temperature possibly surpassing 30C (86F) in the South East, which has never been seen on June 13.
Mr Burkill added: "Sunday is likely to be the hottest day of the weekend, with temperatures reaching 29C (84.2F) in London and the South East, while the bulk of the country will be dry with lots of sunshine.
"This heat is likely to be widespread in the mid-20s which is above the average for this time of year."
He said that while it's "unlikely" the mercury could sneak up to 30C (86F), it "shouldn't be ruled out".
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It is perfect timing as England begin their Euro 2020 campaign this afternoon against Croatia - the team that knocked them out of the World Cup three years ago.
But fans are warned UV levels will be "high or very high" and Britain's grass pollen count could cause problems for hay fever suffers.
The Met Office has issued warnings over "very high" pollen counts right across the country.
It is likely to leave sufferers with sore and itchy eyes and non-stop runny noses.
Met Office forecaster Nicola Maxey said: "Pollen rates for the whole of England and Wales are very high for the next five days.
"It's going to be quite uncomfortable for those who get it really badly.
"The UV levels are also very high over the weekend which means people could burn quite in a short space of time without realising."
As many as 13 million people suffer with hay fever in the UK.
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The warmer weather marks the start of a British heatwave lasting well into next week.
John Hammond, of Weather Trending told the Sun Online: "It's certainly going to be the hottest spell of the year so far, specifically across the more southern and eastern parts of the UK.
"It’ll be quite muggy air too. This is what’s called Tropical Maritime Air, and may well carry a fair bit of cloud.
"Through Saturday and Sunday, as high pressure builds across the country, 30 degrees or more is quite possible."
The Met Office said in its that temperatures will be so high, particularly in the south, that "some areas may reach heatwave criteria".
A heatwave is defined by forecasters as an uninterrupted period of exceptionally high temperatures.
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The Met Office's Oli Claydon said that the south east corner - including East Anglia and Cambridgeshire - is "where the better weather is".
And the Weather Outlook's Brian Gaze said things "will also be turning increasingly humid as a southwesterly flow pulls up sub-tropical air".
He added: "It is possible that 30C will be pipped more than once in the south between Friday and Monday.
"Coming after the prolonged cool period in April and May this is the weather doing a complete U turn."
The warmest day of the year so far was June 2 when the mercury soared to 28.3C in Northolt, West London.
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The Met Office says that from Wednesday June 16 it could be "very warm, and humid towards the southeast at first with the risk of a few thunderstorms developing from the south later Wednesday into Thursday.
For the week from Wednesday, "an Atlantic influence" is predicted to "bring occasional spells of rain or showers interspersed with drier and sunnier conditions," the agency adds.
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