WEATHER WATCH

Spells of warm weather across the country have been welcome, but they can just as easily induce the wettest conditions. The highest rainfall so far this month was at Shoeburyness, Essex, with 0.9in (22mm).

London and Hull reached 26C on Wednesday, but the weekend promises more significant hotter weather, with today likely to be the hottest day of the year so far. Interestingly, June 13 to this point is the only date in the three summer months when the temperature has never reached 30C, in data stretching back to 1860. Today could be history in the making.

Hot and sultry weather early in the week is likely to be punctuated by imported thunderstorms from France by Wednesday, ahead of cooler days with blustery showers sweeping in from the west. Deeper into June looks unsettled, with more wind and rain than we should reasonably expect.