UK weather forecast: Friday could be HOTTEST day of the year so far as temperatures to be warmer than Barcelona at 33C

FRIDAY could be the HOTTEST day of the year so far as Brits are set to scorch in temperatures hotter than Barcelona.

The Met Office has forecast highs of 33C for the south of England as the weather is expected to soar above those in the Catalonian capital on Friday.

Today will be fine and dry – but vast swathes of the nation will be bathed in glorious sunshine and blue skies after an unseasonably chilly month on Friday.

Friday's heat could even topple the year's best of 33.4C – recorded on June 25 – to become the hottest day of the year so far.

A Met Office spokesman said: "Barcelona is forecast to get up to about 32C on Friday so this may cheer up those stuck at home."

According to the Met Office, today will be fine and dry with sunny spells for most of the UK.

Temperatures will reach 23C in the southeast while in the north of England temperatures will hit the high teens.

Conditions are expected to be less breezy and warmer than the cloudier weather experienced yesterday.

SOARING TEMPERATURES

There will be a few showers for northwest Scotland and cloudy weather with rain will arrive in Northern Ireland later this evening.

Temperatures will continue to build-up through Thursday with Friday predicted to be the hottest day of the year despite following an unseasonably chilly July, the Met Office has said.

Friday's scorcher marks the last day of July and is likely to see this month avoid an unwelcome record in the nick of time.

As temperatures struggled it was poised to become the first July since 2011 without a single day in the 30s.

The best so far was 28.5C on July 17.

But Friday's blistering heat is set to save the day and give a timely boost to those Brits flying back from Spain who are now forced to isolate at home.

The Met Office added: "The UK average for this month as a whole stands at 14.1C which is less than the 15.2C norm.

HOTTER THAN BARCELONA

"In recent years, the average July temperature has exceeded the average, hitting 16.4C and 17.2C in 2019 and 2018.

"But temperatures have struggled to pick up this month, which is unusual for July.

"Friday looks like putting things right. It may even become the hottest day of the year so far."

The UK has already beaten its average monthly rainfall and seen wind gusts of 50mph.

In stark contrast, The Met Office has only recorded 113 hours of sunshine, compared to the usual 172 hours.

Temperatures will rise from Wednesday before peaking on Friday.

But the good weather is expected to be short-lived with colder air returning by the weekend.

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