UK weather: Friday set to be hottest day of the year beating Spain, Portugal and Turkey

But the mini-heatwave will come to an end as temperatures drop back down to average on Saturday

The UK will be hotter than Europe on Friday as temperatures are expected to push above 20 degrees Celsius (BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

Friday is expected to be the hottest day of the year, potentially climbing upwards of 20 degrees Celsius and topping temperatures in Turkey, Spain and Portugal.

The unusually warm climate and settled weather enjoyed over the past few days will continue through to Thursday and Friday, with prolonged sunny spells enjoyed up and down the country, before changing again over the weekend.

The hottest day of the year so far was Easter Sunday, when the Met Office recorded a temperature of 20.7 degrees in Aberdeenshire. High temperatures expected in the south of England means “we could top that by Friday,” spokesperson Nicola Maxey said.

But the UK weather is set to return to the cooler temperatures expected for this time of year by Saturday, when a weak front moves in from the Atlantic on Friday night, pushing the high pressure away from the country eastwards and bringing isolated showers overnight.

Temperatures will drop by five or six degrees across the UK, with highs of 10 or 11 degrees in the north on Saturday and Sunday, and between 12 and 14 in the south.

The weather will become more unsettled towards the beginning of next week, with gusts of up to 25 or 30 mph as the cooler weather moves back in, Maxey said.

“The high pressure is moving away from the country to the east, which means the start of next week will be unsettled and changeable, with an increased risk of showers,” Maxey added.