Brits will be needing both an umbrella and their sun cream only days apart as the weather in the next few days is set to swing from one extreme to another.

Thunder and lightning were seen across the UK yesterday, with flood alerts in place in some areas of England.

But as the clouds begin clearing up today with some light showers, the country is looking ahead to its third heatwave of the summer, with the mercury hitting above 30C by the end of the week. 

However, the muggy weather will stay into the nights, making it difficult for some to sleep. Hay fever sufferers will also be cursing the heatwave as they will be blighted by high pollen count.  

Today will be drier and brighter for many, with lengthy sunny spells, though a few showers lingering in the southeast, which could be heavy at times. In the north, it will be cloudier with patchy rain as well as cooler.

From tomorrow until Thursday, high pressure from the west will build bringing widely dry, settled conditions for the south.

Further north it will be breezier with spells of rain at times but temperatures on the rise nonetheless.

Wednesday is looking to be the start of the warm period, with the weekend predicted to stay in the low 30s. 

A sunbather on the beach at Weymouth in Dorset last week showing signs of sunburn

Two young women cool off in front of a large fan at a London Underground station during the last week's heatwave

The duration of the hot spell remains difficult to gauge, and there are uncertainties about just how high temperatures will rise.

It also appears as though the UK will avoid the stifling weather of the high 30s and low 40s seen in the Mediterranean. 

The heat will feel unrelenting for many, as the UK will have only just come out of its second heatwave last week and the warmest June on record for England. 

Marco Petagna, senior meteorologist at the Met Office, said: 'I think Wednesday is probably going to be the day when we could start to reach the thresholds of 25 to 28 degrees, depending on where you are.

'But of course, you need three days at those temperatures for it to be able to be called a technical heatwave.

'So, although the temperature will be reaching the criteria, we probably won't actually reach an official heatwave until around Friday, to give the three consecutive days at those temperatures. 

'But temperatures are going to continue to climb as we go toward the end of the week and certainly by Friday and Saturday we could see 30 degrees, perhaps just nudging into the low 30s.

'At the weekend, we could just start to see humidity increasing a little bit as well and nighttime temperatures look like they are going to be, so it will be starting to become more uncomfortable by night.' 

Today will be drier and brighter for many, with lengthy sunny spells, though a few showers lingering in the southeast, which could be heavy at times. In the north, it will be cloudier with patchy rain as well as cooler

From tomorrow until Thursday, high pressure from the west will build bringing widely dry, settled conditions for the south (pictured: Tuesday's highs)

Wednesday will see the weather steadily increase towards the 30s

Thursday creeps closer to 30C, with a high of 29C in London

By Friday, lots of areas in England will be in the high 20s and looking set for a weekend in the low 30s

Mr Petagna added: 'It's a bit of a question mark going through the weekend early next week as to how long the heat will last and how high the temperatures will get, because some models are sort of pushing the heat away a bit more quickly, whereas others keep the heat going.

'At this stage it looks as though certainly into next weekend, we should hold on to hot weather across the south of the UK and temperatures could again certainly get into the low 30s in a few spots.

'And we are going to see some very high pollen and very high UV levels as well.

'But at this stage, we've managed to escape some of the very highest temperatures, those seen across Spain and Portugal in particular, where it has reached the mid-40s.'  

The hot spell comes after a yellow warning was activated for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber between 7am and 7pm yesterday.

The Met Office warned on the weekend that hail, flooding and lightning strikes may be possible in these areas that will result in damage to some buildings.

Specific areas that were set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire.

Thunderstorms were expected to cause widespread travel disruption with the Met Office saying there is 'a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus.'

The Met Office had issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for the East of England, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber for Sunday

The yellow weather warning will be in effect for 12 hours between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, July 6

Specific areas set to be impacted by the adverse weather conditions include Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, Suffolk, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull , North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire

Commuters battle their way through a storm taking place over Southwark, London

A runner braves the rain during a storm on The Queen's Walk in London with the city's skyline behind her

Locals were also told to expect delays to train services.

Parts of eastern England were ready to see a downpour of 15-25 millimetres of rain which some feared would lead to flooding of homes and businesses. 

The heavy rain came as relief for some after the UK soldiered on through two heatwaves last month which posed a 'risk to life'.   

Met Office figures showed that England saw its warmest June on record with a mean temperature of 16.9C, and the second warmest for the UK overall since records began in 1884 with a mean temperature of 15.2C.

Sunseekers basked in searing 34.7C in St James's Park, London, on July 1 as the UK saw its hottest day of the year reached. 

It followed the warmest and sunniest spring on record for the UK. 

Scientists warned the searing temperatures earlier in June were made 100 times more likely because of human-caused climate change.

In Bedfordshire, the council gritters were dispatched to protect the roads and provide grip for drivers amid concerns the heat could cause the tarmac to soften.

LONDON: A woman buys an ice cream on Westminster Bridge during the heatwave

A person rests in the City of London financial district during the heatwave

Festivalgoers relax in the sun at the West Holts stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) activated a five-day warning starting last Friday due to concerns that there could be 'a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 65 and over or with health conditions'.

The amber heat health alert covered the East Midlands, South East, South West and East of England, alongside Somerset - where Glastonbury was roaring ahead.

Meanwhile, Europeans were warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat.

Indeed, a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C was confirmed on June 28 by the AEMET - Spain's state meteorological agency.

Forest fires and flash floods wrecked chaos across the continent, with warnings of an intense heatwave.

Sweltering infernos melted roads in Italy while raging wildfires tore through Greece.

FRACE: Parisians and tourists cool off at the Trocadero fountain in Paris 

ITALY: A woman with an umbrella in the hot sunshine near the Colosseum in Rome 

Tourists look for shade on a hot summer day in Venice as Europeans have been warned to stay indoors as the continent goes on high alert for extreme 47C heat

Tourists attempt to deal with the heat in Barcelona on June 28 as a new Spanish high temperature record for June of 46C is confirmed

Two-thirds of Portugal were be on high alert last week for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C expected in the capital Lisbon.

It was so hot that Sicily and areas of northern Italy banned outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day.

In Nice, on the French Riviera, nearly 250 portable fans were distributed to schools to help students cope with the heat.

As July kicks off, forecasters said temperatures in the mid-30Cs are still relatively uncommon for the month in the UK, although they are becoming increasingly frequent with climate change.