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The UK is set to swelter in temperatures beyond 30C next week as a summer heatwave finally arrives.

With the nation having suffered unseasonal rainfall so far in June, the Met Office said hot weather will finally take hold next week.

By midweek, temperatures will reach the low 30s in some parts of the country.

Londoners will be among those enjoying the balmy conditions, with temperatures of 28C forecast for Wednesday and 27C for Thursday.

It comes as Europe faces a heatwave of even bigger proportions next week.

The mercury could reach 44C in southern Italy and the Balearic islands, while temperature records could be smashed in other countries such as France.

Laura Ellam, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The reason it’s going to turn really warm across the UK is while the heat is building across continental Europe, at the moment that’s stayed at bay.

“Next week from Sunday onwards, we’re going to see that drawn up across the UK itself. That’s going to turn things very much more warm and in fact humid than we’ve seen of late.

UK August Heatwave - In pictures 31 show all UK August Heatwave - In pictures 1/31 Two women take a selfie in Trafalgar Square in London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA 2/31 Birds are seen flying as St Paul's Cathedral and skyscrapers in the City of London are seen at dawn in London REUTERS 3/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire as another spell of warm weather hits the UK PA 4/31 A dog under an umbrella at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire PA 5/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast as temperatures continue to increase Rex Features 6/31 People enjoy the sunshine aboard a boat on the Regents Canal, London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA 7/31 People sunbath on the clifftop at Woolacombe Beach in North Devon PA 8/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA 9/31 Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival at the Lulworth Estate in Dorset PA 10/31 People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA 11/31 People on pedalos and paddleboards at Nene Park in Peterborough PA 12/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA 13/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beachers on the Dorset coast as the mercury continues to rise Rex Features 14/31 People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA 15/31 People in an inflatable canoe at Nene Park in Peterborough, PA 16/31 A woman brushes a man's hair under a sun shade on Herne Bay beach Getty Images 17/31 People relax on kayaks at Nene Park in Peterborough PA 18/31 People enjoy the hot weather at London Fields in Hackney PA 19/31 Peoploe enjoy the sunshine at London Fields in Hackney, London PA 20/31 A couple play catch with a ball while swimming in the River Stour Getty Images 21/31 Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival festival in Dorset PA 22/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast Rex Features 23/31 A canal boat passes along the Regent's Canal in front of Granary Square in King's Cross, London PA 24/31 Office workers on the steps at Granary Square, King's Cross, London enjoy the continued hot weather PA 25/31 Early morning on the beach at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA 26/31 Children play in the fountains at Granary Square, King's Cross, London PA 27/31 People enjoy the hot weather on Gorleston beach near Great Yarmout PA 28/31 Early morning at St Mary's lighthouse on Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA 29/31 Balloons inflate during a ground tether flight after bad weather prevented flying at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at the Ashton Court Estate in Bristol PA 30/31 People enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear. PA 31/31 People walk along the beach at Whitley Bay PA 1/31 Two women take a selfie in Trafalgar Square in London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA 2/31 Birds are seen flying as St Paul's Cathedral and skyscrapers in the City of London are seen at dawn in London REUTERS 3/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire as another spell of warm weather hits the UK PA 4/31 A dog under an umbrella at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire PA 5/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast as temperatures continue to increase Rex Features 6/31 People enjoy the sunshine aboard a boat on the Regents Canal, London, as another blast of hot weather is set to hit parts of the UK PA 7/31 People sunbath on the clifftop at Woolacombe Beach in North Devon PA 8/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA 9/31 Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival at the Lulworth Estate in Dorset PA 10/31 People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA 11/31 People on pedalos and paddleboards at Nene Park in Peterborough PA 12/31 People enjoy the sun at Carsington Water in Derbyshire PA 13/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beachers on the Dorset coast as the mercury continues to rise Rex Features 14/31 People in the sea at Croyde Beach in North Devon PA 15/31 People in an inflatable canoe at Nene Park in Peterborough, PA 16/31 A woman brushes a man's hair under a sun shade on Herne Bay beach Getty Images 17/31 People relax on kayaks at Nene Park in Peterborough PA 18/31 People enjoy the hot weather at London Fields in Hackney PA 19/31 Peoploe enjoy the sunshine at London Fields in Hackney, London PA 20/31 A couple play catch with a ball while swimming in the River Stour Getty Images 21/31 Girls sunbathe in the hot sunny weather during Bestival festival in Dorset PA 22/31 Beach goers enjoy one of the quieter beaches on the Dorset coast Rex Features 23/31 A canal boat passes along the Regent's Canal in front of Granary Square in King's Cross, London PA 24/31 Office workers on the steps at Granary Square, King's Cross, London enjoy the continued hot weather PA 25/31 Early morning on the beach at Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA 26/31 Children play in the fountains at Granary Square, King's Cross, London PA 27/31 People enjoy the hot weather on Gorleston beach near Great Yarmout PA 28/31 Early morning at St Mary's lighthouse on Whitley Bay, North Tyneside PA 29/31 Balloons inflate during a ground tether flight after bad weather prevented flying at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at the Ashton Court Estate in Bristol PA 30/31 People enjoy the sunshine on the beach at Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear. PA 31/31 People walk along the beach at Whitley Bay PA

“These high temperatures in Europe could potentially be record breaking in some countries such as France, Germany and the Netherlands.

“Compared with June so far, it’s going to be significantly warmer and more humid, which you’ll also notice. Temperatures [will] widely [go] into the mid to high 20s and potentially even into the low 30s further into next week.”

It will prompt memories of last summer’s heatwave, when the highest recorded temperature was 35.3C in Faversham, Kent.

Before the hot weather takes hold, however, a thunderstorm warning has been issued for most of the UK between Sunday afternoon and the entirety of Monday.

The Met Office said lower pressure will cause the storms, with a small chance of flooding, power cuts and disruption to travel.