Express & Star

Here comes the sun! Black Country to be hotter than Ibiza as heatwave arrives

Get your sun cream at the ready folks – the West Midlands is going to be hotter than Malaga and Ibiza over the next seven days.

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Sun sun sun, here it comes - weather forecasters are predicting a warm week ahead

Warm air sweeping in from the Atlantic will see temperatures hitting a sweltering 23C (73F).

Next week is set to be a real scorcher with temperatures rising to 28C (82F) on Tuesday and Thursday – hotter than in the Mediterranean.

Bookmakers are now slashing the odds for this summer being the hottest on record.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “Next week we will start to see temperatures rising. They are going to be beyond the mid-twenties and possibly hitting 30C (86F).

"The warm spell of weather is looking fairly widespread, pretty much all parts of the UK are going to see temperatures well above average and some places next week are set to reach 30C (86F).”

British beaches will be busy as the sun shines

Today, it will be sunny with temperatures hitting 20C (68F). Tomorrow, the mercury will hit 20C before rising to 23C on Sunday.

On Monday the heat will begin to rise with the temperature getting to 27C (81F) before Tuesday, 28C; Wednesday, 27C; Thursday, 28C and Friday 25C (77F).

The weather will then cool slightly but stay warm up to and including the first week of July.

The rise in temperatures is down to high pressure from the eastern Atlantic and moving across northern central Europe next week, said The Weather Channel forecaster Amy Hodgson.

She added: “High pressure will become dominant across Europe next week.

"This will bring dry, sunny and settled conditions with temperatures rising above normal.”

Bookmaker Coral’s spokesman Harry Aitkenhead said: “This weekend is set to be a scorcher and right now we feel like there is every chance this summer will go on to smash all the records before it as the hottest ever.”

Households are also being warned the heat will also make for 'uncomfortable sleeping', with temperatures expected to be warmer than average during the nights.

Among the tips experts are recommending are drawing curtains during the day, avoiding big meals at night and using a cold water bottle to keep sheets cool.