Temperatures in Holbeach, Long Sutton and Spalding to hit 26C as UK prepares for hottest day of the year

As the UK prepares for its hottest day of the year, temperatures in south Lincolnshire will reach up to 26C.

Yesterday signalled the start of meteorological summer and also the warmest day of 2021 so far, with highs of 25.8C recorded in Cardiff.

However, the Met Office has revealed today's heat is set to trump that.

It predicts highs of 26C in the district from 1pm onwards.

It is already around 20C and by midday it will be 25C.

The temperature will be at its highest between 1pm and 5pm before slowly dropping off after, but it's set to stay above 20C until 9pm.

The Met Office has also said the warm weather is likely to cause thunderstorms and bring lightning, hail and heavy rain to parts of the UK.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “The thunderstorms could bring lots of lightning, some hail, as well as some heavy rain, and with the half term there is an increased number of tourists in this area.

“The thunderstorms do then push north-eastwards into the Midlands and across more of Wales, but they also ease and break up, so these places will see some showers but they won’t be as intense.”

The warm weather has been a welcome break for people following a washout May, which brought heavy downpours and prolonged spells of rain for much of the UK.

The UK has seen its fourth highest amount of rainfall on record for the month, with an average of 120mm.

Meanwhile, England had its fifth wettest May on record, and its wettest since 1967, with 111mm of rain.