Temperatures 'could break records' in parts of the UK this weekend as Brits set for Bank Holiday sun

There's a good chance Northern Ireland will beat the previous high of 23.8C seen during an August bank holiday.

In Wales, 26.5C is the number to beat in Wales - and forecasters say it's going to get warmer in the coming days.

From Bank Holiday Monday, 10 counties are expected to face scorching conditions, beating prior concerns that US Hurricane Erin would bring unseasonably wet weather.  

The South East is set to be the main recipient of the highest temperatures, with regions including Sussex and London expected to hit 31C. 

The peak in temperatures follows four previous heatwaves already recorded this summer. According to WXCharts, the counties expected to experience the hottest weather are Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Greater London. 

Chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Paul Gunderen, said temperatures “are generally on the rise through the weekend” and any rain will probably be “fairly short-lived and is unlikely to be heavy”.

Parts of Wales, Northern England and Scotland will also see warm temperatures. Low pressure is expected to dominate, with a dry and settled weekend for most. 

Although many will be looking forward to a sunny bank holiday, the heatwave adds to concerns for some UK farmers who are facing the “worst ever harvests” due to a lack of water and bone-dry soils.

Yields of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage have struggled considerably, although the overall picture of UK harvests has been mixed.

The heatwave comes as Hurricane Erin hits North Carolina, on the East coast of the US.

The impacts of the storm aren’t expected to cross the Atlantic until Wednesday, August 27, and will likely be limited to “large swell and powerful waves” good for surfers, and a cooler, breezier end of next week.