SIZZLING temperatures of 25C are on the way for the Bank Holiday weekend, putting Britain on course for one of the hottest summers ever.
Families will finally be able to enjoy weather that feels more appropriate for this time of year after weeks of rain, severe flooding and dull days.
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Brits take a paddle Lyme Regis as the tide goes out, making the most of the sunshine Credit: Alamy 5
Max, three, and big sister Mali, five make a splash on the beach in Boscombe, near Bournemouth Credit: BNPS 5
Motorways begin to fill with cars making a getaway to enjoy the long weekend Credit: i-Images
However, despite the disappointing weather we've recently had, the Met Office says this summer could potentially be in the top 10 warmest summers on record.
In a statement, the Met Office says while it is still a few days off announcing a definitive ranking at the start of September, the UK's mean temperature for summer was around one degree centigrade higher than average at 15.4C.
Northern Ireland has so far had one of its warmer summers with a mean temperature of 15.0C.
And the Met Office said Scotland's figure was 13.8C, which qualified as "notably warm".
Amid last month's heatwave, Northern Ireland broke its all-time record with a top temperature of 31.3C.
It could still be close as to whether this summer hits the top 10.
TOP 10 WARMEST SUMMERS
This Bank Holiday weekend will see warm temperatures in the early to mid-twenties, with Northern Ireland and Scotland enjoying the warmest temperatures of up to 25 in parts.
For England, Bank Holiday Monday will be the coolest of the weekend but will still be treated to pleasant highs of 23.
A small village has officially experienced a "very localised" heatwave this week, forecasters have confirmed.
Tyndrum, in Stirlingshire, recorded temperatures over 25C for three consecutive days, meeting the official definition of a heatwave, the Met Office said.
For the rest of the British Isles, the Met Office's outlook up until Monday - the second-last day of summer - reads: "Often cloudy, cool with some light rain or showers for northern and eastern coastal areas. Elsewhere, dry with sunny spells. Warm in the west."
Western areas, especially western Scotland, had also had far less rain than average, with Scotland so far recording just 62 percent of its average rainfall for the season at 188.1mm, and Wales 66 percent with 189.5mm.
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By contrast, there has been an average across all areas of Greater London of 220.2mm of rain - 48 percent more than the long-term summer average, though still short of records.
Hampshire has had 245.2mm, or 49 percent more than average, Surrey 240.3mm, or 54 percent more than average, and West Sussex 250.9mm, 52 percent above average.
Dr Mark McCarthy, of the National Climate Information Centre, said: "Obviously there's still time before the month and season is over, but summer so far is certainly looking drier and warmer than average.
"That's despite some of the wet, dull conditions we've seen in the south-east in particular.
"Some of the flooding seen in London in July has seen some individual stations report almost twice their normal summer rainfall but the north and west of the country has experienced plenty of sunshine through June and July, although most of the country has been duller than average through August."
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A little overcast in Brighton, but that doesn't stop locals flocking to the pebbles to enjoy the views Credit: Alamy 5
Boscombe beach could be mistaken for a Spanish beach here, as beachgoers feel the sand between their toes Credit: BNPS