Parts of the UK are set for a scorching weekend with temperatures that could reach 36C.

Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said the hot weather will be part of a “warm spell across the UK” but the highest temperatures are expected to be “focused in the south-east of England”.

Ms Diamond said there will be a “mixed” spell of weather at the start of the week.

But she added: “At the minute, and with high confidence, we are expecting 34C to 36C by Friday and Saturday.”

These high temperatures are the result of southerly winds moving from Europe and high pressure patterns that are set to kick in from around Thursday.

Ms Diamond said: “The pressure pattern is generally high so in combination with the southerly winds and high pressure we get settled, sunny and hot weather.”

It is due to come after a “mixed start” to the week.

Sunny spells and generally settled weather can be enjoyed across southern areas but heavy rain is on the way for Northern Ireland and Scotland on Tuesday.

Ms Diamond added things will then start to settle down from Wednesday, with warm weather developing across the UK.

“But it is going to turn hot across the south-east, where temperatures are going to be well into the 30s,” she said.

These high temperatures could trigger some thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.

Deputy chief meteorologist David Oliver said: “High temperatures could trigger some thunderstorms across southern parts of the UK over the weekend, but for most there will be plenty of dry and sunny weather.

“At the moment there is some uncertainty as to how long the hot spell of weather will last.”

It comes after temperatures reached 37.8C at Heathrow Airport at 2.41pm and 37.3C at Kew Gardens, in west London on Friday, making it the third hottest day recorded in the UK.

The highest UK temperature, 38.7C, was recorded in Cambridge University Botanic Garden on July 25 2019.

The second hottest day was a recorded at 38.5C in Faversham, Kent, on August 10 2003.

Tim Legg, of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: “An area of low pressure in the Atlantic acted to draw warm air up from the continent, bringing a day of heat to much of the UK with a particular focus on the south-east.

“This made it the hottest day of the year so far by some margin and it also measures as the third hottest day on record in the UK.”

Friday’s hot temperatures came at the end of a cool month of cloud, rain and predominantly westerly winds across parts of the UK in July.

Temperatures were around 14.3C on average, which meant the UK as a whole was minus 0.8C below previous averages for the month, the Met Office said.