Hottest day of the year so far with 30C heat - see what the weather will be like in YOUR area

Brits could be just a day away from as unseasonably high temperatures are set to sweep the UK. Theon Thursday, May 1 - marking a record for the earliest point in the year for such highs. People were seen flocking to parks and beaches yesterday as the heat hit a, but it would appear that was just the start as many wake up to sunny skies again today.

Speaking about tomorrow's balmy blast, the UK's national forecaster said there will be a "corridor" of heat stretching between London and Bristol where temperatures will be 10C above average for this time of year.

Meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said temperatures will likely teeter around the 29C mark in the corridor, but some spots could see the mercury rise to as high as 30C.

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Mr Vautrey said: “That corridor between the two cities could well see some of the top temperatures over the course of this hot spell.”

The has explained that it's not unusual to see warm and sunny periods in April, but that temperatures in the mid-20s are more of the norm. What is out of character for this time of year is the 30C mark. If reached, it will break a record.

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “It is not particularly unusual to see warm and sunny periods in April where temperatures reach the mid-20s.

"This has occurred as recently as 2018 and 2019, for example. However, it is more unusual to see temperatures reach the high-20s, and if we see 30C this week, it will be the earliest point in the year in which we have achieved that threshold."

Nicola Maxey, press officer at the Met Office, said: “As high pressure continues to dominate the UK weather we will see the temperatures building day on day through the week with Thursday seeing the peak of the heat with 29C or even a chance we could see 30C. Friday temperatures will start to dip across much of the UK as the high pressure starts to pull away.”

The UK welcomed its highest recorded April temperature more than 70 years ago in 1949 - when Camden Square, London, rose to a scorching 29.4C.

For May, the highest temperature recorded was 32.8C on May 22 1922, also in Camden Square. And if temperatures continue to rise above 25C this week, there is a possibility the UK could see official conditions this week.

The Met Office defines a heatwave as three consecutive days of temperatures exceeding the “heatwave threshold”, which varies across the country. The threshold is 25C for most of the UK, with slightly higher numbers for the South and East, and rising to 28C in London.

Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends Of The Earth, warned that heatwaves will become “far more frequent and more intense as climate change takes hold”.

He added: “The UK also needs to go further and faster to cut its emissions. A new climate action plan is due in October, and ministers must seize the enormous opportunities this will bring.

“As well as getting UK climate targets back on track, it will also cut bills, create new jobs, insulate our heat-leaking homes – and put the UK at the forefront of helping to fix our broken planet.”

Tomorrow's temperatures by region England

London & South East England

While the Met Office has acknowledged temperatures could rise to 30C in some parts of a "corridor" reaching between London and Bristol, its official weather maps show highs of 28C hitting London between 3pm and 4pm tomorrow.

South West England

England's south west also falls in the "corridor" mentioned by the Met Office, where Brits are expected to sizzle tomorrow. According to its weather map, the Met Office predicts a high of 26C in Bristol.

North East England

While the north east will not see the same scorching highs as the south of the country, there will still be plenty of warm weather for this time of year, with the mercury rising to 22C in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

North West England

A similar picture in the north west, where temperatures will sit at a pleasant 24C, according to Met Office maps.

Yorkshire & Humber

In Yorkshire, temperatures of 25C will be seen between 3 and 4pm, also marking unseasonably high temperatures for this part of the country at this time of year.

The Midlands

The East Midlands looks set to slightly exceed temperatures in the west with 26C, while the West Midlands will see highs of 25C.

East of England

The East of England will also see highs of 26C recorded in Norwich.