Weather maps show when next UK heatwave 'could hit 30C' as BBC's Carol Kirkwood promises 'sunshine' ahead

The UK could soon be entering into a heatwave with temperatures reaching a scorching 30C in coming weeks - and the sun could be out even sooner.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast today (16 May) weather forecaster Carol Kirkwood said temperatures would start to creep up with “sunny spells and sunshine” on Sunday (19 May). While OpenWeatherMap shows the entire country looking hotter next week.

Agreeing with these predictions, Exacta Weather's resident expert James Madden told the Daily Star: "Some of the main third-party computer models are now becoming more popular in recognition of the high pressure that rises across our shores throughout next week.

"This is now likely to bring at least another several days of warm to hot conditions and could initially see temperatures rising into the mid to high 20s quite widely, and 30C or more can't be entirely ruled out in the hottest spots and for the first time this year."

He continued: "Additionally, there are also some very extreme runs for heat coming through for this final third of this month and into early June, and this particular period and weather scenario for a heatwave is something we have been covering for these exact dates over the past several months in our spring forecast and over the past several weeks in our summer forecast for around early June.

"We should be in full recognition of these high pressure rises across the UK and Ireland with some good cross-model agreement on this, which looks to be perfectly primed for arrival during next week and in time for the spring Bank Holiday weekend and to begin the meteorological summer and June at present."

However while the sunny weather may be a blessing for some, for others the rising temperatures may see hayfever symptoms worsen. The recent mix of sunshine and showers have been prime conditions for flowering trees, which even bloomed four weeks early, according to the National Trust.

While high winds have helped the pollen spread. Grass pollen is usually expected around mid-May, but even this was airborne a month earlier, while weed pollen season is expected to last from late June to September.

The worsening of hayfever symptoms is largely due to climate change, says Allergy UK. As rising temperatures mean allergens are hitting earlier and sticking around longer, so don’t be surprised if you’re sneezing as early as January next year.

Cases of hayfever have tripled over the past 30 years and now affect one in four adults (26%) in the UK.