Forecasters say temperatures could rise above 30 degrees Celsius in parts of Britain next week.
As the remnants of Tropical Storm Alex bring a low pressure system to our coasts, the country is set to be blessed with a mixed bag of weather, according to the Met Office.
This means that parts of the north of the UK could experience sustained rain and possible thunderstorms with speeds exceeding 55mph.
The warm air will spread north over Iberia and France – and come Friday and Saturday, when Royal Ascot reaches its climax, things are about to feel a lot more Mediterranean.
The weather in the South is likely to be fine and dry, with temperatures likely to peak around 24C (75F) on Father’s Day, although they could be in the low 30s.
Sky Weather producer Joanna Robinson said: “Since Wednesday it looks like temperatures are rising, as warm air moves north over Iberia and France.
“The South will reach the mid-20s, possibly the low-30s on Friday or Saturday.”
The hottest day of the year so far was recorded in May, when the temperature at Heathrow reached 27.5 degrees Celsius.
Read more:
UK Weather: Latest Sky News Forecast
For Royal Ascot, the mercury can go as low as 30 on Friday and Saturday
Pollen levels are also expected to be higher in the south of the UK – with hay fever victims Warning to be prepared for a flood of sneezes,
The “particularly potent” pollen is causing worse-than-usual symptoms for people with hay fever due to recent hot and wet weather.
Experts said the combination of moist and warm weather in May means that while pollen counts are not higher than normal, the pollen itself is strong.
Yolanda Cleveland of the Met Office said: “The power of these pollen grains could be more intense this year, and it comes down to the weather we’ve had in the spring.
“A warm and wet May, coupled with a relatively warm spring, has a chance that developed pollen is particularly potent.”
