TEMPERATURES in Colchester could rise as high as 32C as the UK prepares to sizzle during the hottest day of the year so far.

The Met Office said London and potentially some spots in East Anglia are most likely to reach the 34C high.

Away from the capital and the South East, 27-30C is expected across most of England and Wales.

Hour by hour forecast for Colchester: 

  • 10am, 25C
  • 11am, 26C
  • 12pm, 28C
  • 1pm, 29C
  • 2pm, 30C
  • 3pm, 31C
  • 4pm, 31C
  • 5pm, 31C
  • 6pm, 31C
  • 7pm, 29C
  • 8pm, 27C
  • 9pm, 25C
  • 10pm, 23C
  • 11pm, 22C
  • 12am, 20C

Meanwhile, firefighters are warning that there is an increased risk of fires due to the heatwave.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued a Level 3 Heat-Health alert for London, the East of England and the South East.

This alert follows the Level 2 alert issued on Tuesday and confirms that the Met Office’s threshold temperatures for an alert will be reached in three regions from Friday.

The Met Office warned that there may be difficult sleeping conditions on Thursday night, with temperatures expected to stay between mid and high teens.

Forecasters said that it would be termed a tropical night if nowhere drops below 20C (68F).

Britain’s highest recorded June UK temperature was 35.6C at Southampton Mayflower Park in June 1976 – and forecasters do not expect that high to be surpassed this week.