Kent is set to sizzle today - with temperatures predicted to soar into the mid-30s.

The mercury is set to rise to around 30C in the region - hitting potentially record highs by the middle of this week.

The Met Office has issued a heatwave warning, with people urged to drink plenty of water and stay cool.

The so-called level 2 alert warned of an 80% chance of heatwave conditions this week.

Level 2 warns people to be ready, with the levels above warning of heatwave action and a national emergency.

Kent County Council has posted health advice online.

The county is predicted to record temperatures as high as 36C tomorrow, with the heat still nudging 30C by Friday and Saturday.

Kent - and particularly Gravesend - often records the hottest temperature in the UK.

To notch it into the record books for July, the county needs to swelter with temperatures over 36C.

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A high of 36.5C was recorded at Wisley, Surrey on July 19 2006.

Gravesend in particular stands a good chance, as it often records a maximum temperature for the UK.

That is because Broadness - where the temperatures are collected - has sandy soil, rather than the clay soil nearby.

By its nature, the sandy soil of the station near Swanscombe heats up more than other soils.

Also, the site is sheltered by an embankment, which also has an effect on the temperature.

But to qualify for the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK, our thermometers would have to hit higher than 38.5C.

That was also set in Kent, when Brogdale near Faversham sweltered on August 10 2003.

But with the high temperatures comes an increased likelihood of storms, according to experts.

Brian Gaze, from weather blog The Weather Outlook, told KentOnline: "Kent is likely to be one of the UK's hotspots with temperatures possibly reaching 35C late next week.

"Humidity could build too, leading to an increasing risk of thunderstorms. There's an outside chance of the July temperature record being threatened.

Mr Gaze said the heatwave is a result of a Spanish plume - a warm air front spreading north from the Iberian Peninsula.

The Weather Outlook has been running computer models to try to predict when and where the heatwave might strike.

Mr Gaze said: "There is uncertainty about the positioning of the core of the heat but during the last 24 hours computer models runs have been bringing it westward towards the UK."

"Some of the model runs show an extreme plume with temperatures over northern France reaching 38C (100F) and in the south of the UK heading towards an incredible 35C."

The hot weather could see Kent beaches packed with locals and holidaymakers alike as people take advantage of the hot weather.

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