Exact date 30C 'mini-heatwave' to come to abrupt end with rain and plunging temperatures

have revealed the exact date Britain'swith a sudden turn to rain and plummeting temperatures. Brits have enjoyed three days of glorious sunshine this week with the mercury rocketing to unseasonably high levels for this time of year, with a. It was the hottest start to any May on record on Thursday, with the Kew Gardens high beating the previous 1990 record from Lossiemouth in Scotland.

The rest of the UK enjoyed conditions well above their averages for this time of year after an area of high pressure became trapped over the British Isles. Temperatures in the capital were hotter than a number of European cities. But the tempeartures won't remain at these levels much longer after the confirmed dreary conditions returning by the end of the weekend.

In its five-day forecast, the Met Office said the will start "turning cooler" over the next few days", with some parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland even becoming chilly.

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For today, the south will remain warm, while central areas may see some patches of showery rain. In the north, it will be markedly cooler, with scattered showers again making an appearance.

Tonight, the Met Office said it will remain "cloudy in the north with scattered showers".

"Drier across much of the rest of the UK with clear spells, although a risk of showers along the south coast later", the forecast adds.

By Saturdays, the showers in the south will clear, making the way for a day of sunshine for most, but with noticeably cooler temperatures. In the far north, there will be more cloud and patchy rain.

In its outlook for Sunday to Tuesday, the Met Office says: "Scattered showers in the south at times, and a few further north, though a lot of dry weather for many with some sunshine. Temperatures dropping, becoming rather cool in places."

A series of new weather maps support the forecast, showing the hot spell coming to an abrupt end by Sunday.

A Met Office map shows temperatures by the end of the week are likely to be considerably lower, taking a sharp dip in London from a scorching 29C down to a much cooler 15C. Areas in the north of , including Aberdeen and Wick, are also expected to be chilly - hovering between 5-7C, while elsewhere across the UK, temperatures will sit within the early to mid-teens.