The “beast from the east” will seem like a distant memory in parts of England as temperatures soar on what is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far.

The mercury may reach as high as 25C (77F) in the south-east, according to forecasters, which is 10C higher than the UK average for this time of year.

Tuesday was the warmest day this year so far, with 20.9C recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk.

A family enjoy the views from Old Harry Rocks on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. Photograph: Geoffrey Swaine/Rex/Shutterstock

The high temperatures will not be confined to one part of the UK, with up to 21C expected in Newcastle, 19C in Northern Ireland and 17C in Glasgow.



The Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said: “It’s going to be a pretty nice day. It will be a slow start in places, with cloud first thing. But by mid-afternoon, there will be lots of unbroken sunshine.”

On Thursday temperatures could rise as high as 26C in the south-east of England, as warm air continues to come up through Spain and on to the UK.

There could be isolated showers in parts of the country on Saturday, while there is uncertainty about what Sunday’s weather will bring.