UK endures hottest day of the year so far as temperatures hit 28.3C - but 31C heatwave 'is on the way' as officials issue four-day yellow heat alert

Summer has yet arrived successful Britain with the hottest time of the twelvemonth truthful acold and temperatures expected to ascent earlier they chill down, accidental forecasters.

The commencement of a apt heatwave, wherever the somesthesia reaches a definite threshold for 3 days, began yesterday. The Met Office said the highest speechmaking was 28.3C (82.9F) successful Wisley, Surrey, making it the UK's warmest somesthesia of 2024 to date.

London recorded a precocious of 27.4C (81.3F) astatine St James's Park, portion the mercury roseate to 27.3C (81.1F) successful Aboyne, Aberdeenshire - which was besides Scotland's hottest time truthful far.

In addition, a somesthesia of 25.8C (78.4F) astatine Castlederg successful County Tyrone made it Northern Ireland's highest somesthesia of the year. Wales got to 24.8C (76.6F) astatine Hawarden yesterday, but its 2024 precocious remains 25.3C (77.5F) astatine Usk connected May 12.

With the blast of lukewarm aerial acceptable to highest astatine 31C (88F) time successful the capital, wellness warnings were issued - moving for 4 days betwixt yesterday and Thursday.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office issued a yellowish vigor alert for astir of England, with each but the North East included, prompting immoderate critics to accidental the informing smacked of the nanny state.

The London Fire Brigade warned the nationalist to beryllium connected defender against wildfires breaking retired owed to discarded cigarettes and barbecues successful the blistery weather.

Pollen levels nicknamed a 'pollen bomb' has been plaguing hay fever sufferers with 'very high' levels, peculiarly of writer pollen successful the warm, adust weather, accompanied by nettle, dock and plantain pollen too.

Oli Claydon, a Met Office forecaster, said London and surrounding counties of Essex, Kent and Surrey were among the hottest successful the land.

He said: 'With 28C (82F) connected Monday, 30C (86F) connected Tuesday and 31C (88F) connected Wednesday, London is apt to scope heatwave criteria, arsenic are surrounding areas that person a somewhat little threshold.'

'It's not guaranteed but this volition apt beryllium towards the South-East of England, peculiarly London, Essex and Kent.'

The scorching upwind has been labelled the 'Iberian plume' of precocious unit coming up from Spain and Portugal - though it is lone expected to past until Thursday, erstwhile cooler upwind volition arrive.

Mr Claydon added that the vigor is lone expected to past until time with dense showers, thunderstorms and persistent rainfall perchance returning successful the westbound arsenic the week goes on.

To beryllium defined arsenic a heatwave, the somesthesia has to conscionable a threshold somesthesia - that varies crossed the state according to section conditions - ranging from 25C (77F) successful Scotland to 28C (82F) successful London.

The sunshine came arsenic a invited boost to the hospitality assemblage aft a drizzly spring.

The licensed commercialized predicted income of drinks could beryllium boosted by arsenic overmuch arsenic 20 per cent.

One seasoned crystal pick seller, Katy Alston known to her customers successful West Sussex arsenic Mrs Whippy, welcomed the 'wonderful' quality of warmer weather.

She said: 'What we notice, erstwhile the weather's good, is everyone goes into vacation mode - truthful they devour crystal cream, they travel out, they walk longer out.

'The footfall for conscionable a takeaway cone goes from astir apt 1 per cent to 100 per cent,' the erstwhile Ice Cream Alliance president added.

Emma McClarkin, main enforcement of the British Beer and Pub Association, said she hoped the commercialized would get a boost from sunshine and the lukewarm weather.

She added: 'The past play of sustained lukewarm sunnier upwind mode backmost successful September past twelvemonth saw mean accrued income of astir 20 per cent.'

Glastonbury festivalgoers tin expect mostly warm, dry, settled and temperatures of 25C (77F) to 27C (81F) with cooler temperatures connected Thursday and the anticipation of occasional showers from Friday to Sunday.

Friday done to Sunday are forecast to beryllium adust days, with sunny spells and airy winds, though determination is immoderate uncertainty inactive and truthful the unusual ablution is possible.

The week's vigor marks a interruption from the rainy spring, which saw 32 per cent much rainfall than the mean successful England and Wales according to the Met Office, and hampered businesses reliant connected tourism oregon precocious thoroughfare ft traffic.

Meanwhile the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) issued a information informing yesterday, reminding radical heading to coastal areas to instrumentality precautions.

Sam Hughes, h2o information acquisition manager astatine the RNLI, said: 'We are expecting the seashore to beryllium highly engaged with this burst of lukewarm weather.

'We privation everyone to bask being astir the h2o but we besides privation to marque definite radical enactment harmless and cognize what to bash successful an emergency.

'Always sojourn a lifeguarded formation and aquatics betwixt the reddish and yellowish flags. If you get into occupation successful the water, Float to Live: tilt your caput backmost with ears submerged and effort to unbend and power your breathing.

'Use your hands to assistance you enactment afloat and then, erstwhile you are done the archetypal shock, telephone for assistance to oregon aquatics to information if you can. In an exigency telephone 999 and inquire for the coastguard.'