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Image source, EPA/Shutterstock
ByBen Rich
Lead weather presenter
Yellow heat health alerts come into force across central and southern England on Friday morning with temperatures forecast to reach 30C (86F) in places.
The alerts, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), cover the East and West Midlands, eastern England, London, south-east England and south-west England and are valid from 09:00 BST on Friday until 09:00 on Sunday.
The UKHSA warns that heat is expected to cause minor impacts for health and social care services, with an increased risk to life for vulnerable people.
It comes as parts of the UK prepare to see much-needed rain this weekend - although amounts are expected to be relatively small, especially in the south.
A drought was officially declared for large parts of north and mid-Wales on Thursday.
The rest of Wales, along with much of central, southern and eastern England, is in "prolonged dry weather" category - one stage below a drought.
Hosepipe bans are in force for millions of customers.
A surge of heat on Friday
North-westerly winds that have developed over recent days will briefly be cut off in southern areas on Friday, allowing temperatures to climb.
Central, southern and eastern parts of England will widely reach highs of 25-28C (77-82F), with a few spots expected to reach 30C.
Parts of east Wales could also climb into the high 20s, with other locations in Wales and northern England forecast to see 20-25C (68-77F).
It will be rather warm in Northern Ireland and Scotland too with afternoon highs reaching 19-23C.
Most areas will see sunny spells although thick cloud will linger in north-west Scotland with patchy rain arriving during Friday afternoon.
Temperatures will slowly drop over the weekend as fresher north-westerly winds return.
By Sunday afternoon highs will range from 16C (61F) in northern Scotland to 25C (77F) in south-east England.
It is expected to bring an end to the heatwave conditions that have persisted for 19 days so far at Usk in Monmouthshire and Exeter in Devon.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers / Stormwind
Whatever rain does fall will struggle to soak into the dry, parched ground
A little rain this weekend - but not enough
High pressure will retreat to the west allowing weather fronts to move south-eastwards across the UK which will bring some outbreaks of rain over the weekend.
Rainfall amounts could be reasonably significant over high ground in the north and the west of the UK, with 20mm (0.8in) possible in parts of north-west Scotland.
However, the wet weather is expected to be much patchier further south and east with large swathes of England and Wales forecast to see just a few millimetres at most.
It is likely that locations in the south will see little rain, if any.
Wisley in Surrey has now gone well over a month without any wet weather and it is by no means certain that it will record any rainfall on Friday or this weekend.
Either way, it is unlikely to bring much of an improvement for the large parts of England and Wales that are officially in drought - or just one step away - as a result of prolonged dry spells during spring and summer so far.
Will there be another heatwave next week?
Computer models are hinting at big contrasts in weather fortunes across different areas of the UK next week.
Weather fronts are expected to bring spells of rain in the north and west, with parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and north-west England likely to see their most significant rainfall in a number of weeks.
However, high pressure may build to the south-east which would cause those weather fronts to stall.
That could allow dry and hot weather to rebuild across many parts of England and Wales, with temperatures potentially climbing back into the 30s Celsius in places.
There is the chance that heatwave conditions could return.
The details of the longer-range forecast do look rather uncertain so it is worth keeping up to date with full local forecasts on the BBC Weather website and app.
