Britain set for sunny weekend before 30C heatwave next week amid health alert as maps reveal where temperatures will soar (but it's bad news for hay fever sufferers)

Britain is set to enjoy a heatwave next week as temperatures soar to 30C (86F) after a fine weekend as the UK has its first run of proper summer weather.

The Met Office expects most areas will see fine and settled conditions from early next week although there could be some cloud and light rain tomorrow.

The UK Health and Security Agency has activated a yellow 'heat health alert' in England from next Monday until Thursday, with 'potential for significant impacts to be observed across the health and social care sector due to the high temperatures'. 

And the improved conditions are also not good news for hay fever sufferers, with a 'very high' pollen forecast covering the whole of England until at least next Tuesday.

Today has been labelled 'Hay Day' given that it is predicted to be the worst day of the year for symptoms such as runny noses, itchy eyes and even shortness of breath.

It follows a miserable start to the month which has been blighted by rain and chilly weather, with forecasters saying it was the coldest first ten days of June since 2020.

Ahead of then, outbreaks of showery rain will develop across Scotland, Northern Ireland today – before impacting Wales and western England later on.

But elsewhere, early morning mist will soon clear and the day will be dry with sunshine and highs – with eastern areas particularly warm at up to 25C (77F).

The band of rain will then continue to edge eastwards tonight, but clear spells will develop to the west with coastal showers before some early morning rain tomorrow.

However this will soon clear eastwards leaving most places with bright or sunny spells – although it will turn cloudier from the west later with light rain.

Then by Sunday, high pressure will be building to bring dry and sunny conditions and fine and settled conditions should then extend across the UK early next week.

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: 'After a brief, less settled, interlude on Friday and Saturday, fine conditions will return by Sunday and into next week.

'For much of the UK this will be accompanied by a boost in temperatures with many places reaching the mid-20Cs by the middle of next week.

'Some central and southern areas are likely to see temperatures approaching the values needed for heatwave conditions.'

The heatwave threshold is met when a location records at least three consecutive days of temperatures meeting or exceeding a certain level, which varies by county – for example, it is 28C (82F) in London but 25C (77F) in Wales.

Mr Armstrong continued: 'By the middle of next week it is possible that some parts of the UK could be reaching heatwave thresholds.

'However, whether or not everyone experiences heatwave thresholds, the majority of the UK will experience the finest conditions and highest temperatures so far this year.'

He said that western areas will be affected by an approaching weak weather front today and tomorrow, which will bring some rain to the North West of Scotland.

The Met Office said that there is a chance that some isolated weather stations could record 30C (86F) 'around the middle of next week'.

But forecasters also said that overnight temperatures will be lower, 'providing some respite for those who struggle with hot conditions'.

The UK Health and Security Agency said an ‘observed increase in mortality across the population’ is likely next week when the heat health alert comes into force, particularly among those aged over 65 and people with health conditions – as well as increased demand for remote healthcare services.

And internal temperatures in care settings such as hospitals and care homes could exceed the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment.

Officials added: ‘Impact on ability of services to be delivered due to heat effects on workforce possible and many indoor environments likely to be overheating, leading to increased risk to vulnerable people living independently in the community as well as in care settings.’

Meanwhile the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued a warning to anyone planning to enter the sea to cool off during the hot weather.

Samantha Hughes, the charity's national water safety partner at the RNLI said: 'The forecasted warm weather will mean we'll see more visitors at the coast and we always want people to enjoy themselves safely.

'Entering the water during warm weather can increase the risk of cold water shock due to the sudden changes in skin temperatures. Enter the water gradually and avoid jumping or diving straight in to reduce your risk of cold-water shock.

'If you're planning on heading to the beach, we highly recommend you visit one that is lifeguarded and you swim between the red and yellow flags. This is the safest area and is most closely monitored by lifeguards.'

She also advised anyone who gets into trouble to 'Float to Live', explaining that they should tilt their head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control their breathing, then use their hands to help them stay afloat and then call for help or swim to safety if possible.

Ms Hughes added that in an emergency at the coast, people should call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard - or ask for the fire service if near inland waters.

As for hay fever sufferers, the charity Asthma + Lung UK warned people with lung conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to be 'extra cautious over the next few days as pollen levels soar'.

In a recent survey by the charity, 47 per cent of people with asthma and 27 per cent of people with COPD, said pollen was a trigger for their condition, causing a flare up of their symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, a tight chest and breathlessness.

It said that between May 28 and June 4 this year there were 1,933 page views of its hay fever website content, which rose by 235 per cent to 6,478 views between June 4 and June 11.

Erika Radford, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, told MailOnline today: 'Rising pollen levels can be very problematic for people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

'It can make someone's lung condition symptoms much worse or lead to a potentially life-threatening asthma attack or COPD flare-up. When pollen particles are breathed in, they can cause inflammation in the airways and get into the lungs, making it harder for those with lung conditions to breathe. This can be terrifying.'

But she added that those with a lung condition who are affected by pollen can take a number of measures to protect yourself.

Ms Radford said: 'Using your preventer inhaler every day as prescribed is very important as the medicine dampens down swelling and inflammation in the airways. This means you are less likely to react badly to a trigger like pollen.

'You should always have your reliever inhaler nearby, even when at home, in case pollen does trigger symptoms like breathlessness or chest tightness. Reliever inhalers quickly relax the muscles in the airways to help you breathe more easily when symptoms arise.

'Another thing you can do is to take antihistamine medicines to relieve your hay fever symptoms. In addition, your GP can prescribe a steroid nasal spray to help reduce the allergic reaction.'

She also advised checking pollen and air pollution forecasts every day and 'avoid going outdoors as much as possible on high pollen days'.

The warmest day of the year so far in the UK was May 12 when 27.5C (81.5F) was recorded in Chertsey, Surrey.

And the hottest day ever recorded in Britain was July 19, 2022 when Coningsby in Lincolnshire hit 40.3C (104.5F).

June 2023 was the hottest on record for the UK, with an average temperature of 15.8C nearly a whole degree above previous highs for the month.