AFTER a very miserable May, June has been off to a great start with some stunning weather, just in time for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Temperatures have reached over 20C across the UK, a stark difference to the wet and miserable weather we saw last month.

And with the current confusion over foreign holidays, many are enjoying staycations in the sunshine - but how long will this heatwave last?

Great news for those who love the sunshine as the warm weather is set to continue, with parts of the UK expected to reach higher temperatures than Portugal.

The UK could see above-average temperatures this weekend as the country braces for a spate of sunny weather during the kick-off for Euro 2020.

Temperatures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are predicted to see highs in the mid-20s, with Sunday lined up to be the warmest day of the weekend for England, Scotland and Wales, according to the Met Office.

In Flintshire on Sunday, temperatures are set to reach as high as 27C compared to 25C in Wrexham and Denbighshire.

There will also be some warmer nights with temperatures set to drop just to 10C in parts of North Wales.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon told the PA news agency that this weekend is on course to be the warmest of the year so far and the warmest since the end of last summer.

“Friday will be largely fine and dry for much of the country,” he said.

What is the Met Office forecast for the rest of this week?

Today/tonight:

A cloudy day, with the occasional spell of patchy light rain. Cloud then begins to break up into the afternoon and allows some sunny spells to develop, especially in the east. A warm day, particularly under any sunshine. Maximum temperature 23 °C. Cloud redevelops into the night, with further rain and drizzle in the west of the country but staying dry elsewhere. Some fog moving in towards the coasts. A mild night. Minimum temperature 13 °C.

Friday:

Continuing to stay cloudy into Friday, with light rain and drizzle throughout the morning. Drier into the afternoon, with some sunny spells beginning to form. Clear spells overnight. Maximum temperature 18 °C.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Dry and warm into the weekend. The odd cloud seen on Saturday, but with sunshine throughout the country on Sunday. Monday then sees cloud, and perhaps some light rain, return.

What will the rest of summer be like?

It is a little early to tell, but the Met Office says that the warm weather could continue throughout the rest of the month.

The Met Office predicts that from June 14, high pressure across the majority of the UK looks to bring a lot of dry and settled weather at first.

Temperatures are expected to be very warm under the high, perhaps hot for a time in the south east, but look to remain average in the far north.

Summer in June

Brits are used to gearing up to enjoy the sunshine in June, but it has not always been the case. The Met Office shared some interesting facts that saw some of the coldest days in the month.

On 2 June 1975, snow showers forced the abandonment of several cricket matches across the country.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in summer in the UK is -5.6 °C recorded on 9 June 1955 in Dalwhinnie, and again on 1 and 3 June 1962 in Santon Downham in Norfolk.

The warmest ever summer in the UK was in 2006 when daytime temperatures averaged 15.8 °C.

The hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK was on 25 July 2019 when Cambridge University Botanic Garden recorded a sweltering 38.7 °C.