UK Weather: Temperatures are set to intensify over the bank holiday weekend as a heat wave is forecast.

The first heat wave of 2026 could be announced on Sunday, with many areas in London and the south-east, including Cardiff, expected to reach their third day above the heatwave threshold.

In the South Midlands and south-east England, it could hit 30C on Sunday, which will be relatively rare for May.

Days above 30C – known as “too hot” by the Met Office – were rare.

The Met Office said the number of these “hottest” days in the past decade was three times higher than the 1961-1990 average.

The last time May reached 30C was in 2012.

Meanwhile, the cloud lurking in southern Scotland and Northern Ireland should clear and it will at least be sunny, if not too hot.