London outshines Mediterranean as Britain heads towards its hottest summer in 40 years

Weather experts are saying that Britain could just be on the way to having its hottest summer in 40 years. Temperatures across the country this weekend are expected to rise to as high as 26C – making it hotter in England and Wales than in Ibiza and the Costa del Sol.

Bursts of hot air from Africa and Spain are expected to keep temperatures warm across Britain over the next few months. Forecaster for Exacta James Madden explained that "the warmth we are seeing this week is set to continue into next week and beyond to deliver what is likely to be a much warmer than average May."

"This will then pave the way for a potentially baking summer throughout June and into July due to dominant high pressure from the Azores [Bermuda]," he adds.

A jet stream will carry Spanish bursts of warm waves and bursts of heat from Africa from the south up to Britain, causing periods of very warm weather. According to WeatherAction forecaster Piers Corbyn. "We are expecting very warm periods with notable Spanish plume events and bursts of heat from Africa. This is all to do with the wild jet stream bringing heat up from the south into Britain," he told the Mirror.

Temperatures in Manchester and Cardiff to go as high as 23C this weekend, while London is expected to get as hot as 26C. "We are looking at the warmest weather of the year so far this weekend," said Sara Thornton, from the Met Office.

The UK's last record heatwave was in the summer of 1976, where temperatures up to 35C caused a heavy drought.

Yesterday, the Met Office had accidentally issued a snow warning on the hottest day of the year. due to a 'technical error'. The snow alert, they said, was a test warning that accidentally went live on the website and mobile phone application.