The South East could be basking in temperatures in the 30s by the end of next week, according to the Met Office.

But while Brighton and the rest of the region is sweltering in the hottest temperatures of the year so far, spare a thought for those further north facing quite a different picture with more stormy weather predicted.

The nation's weather is already a mixed bag and forecasters are expecting more of the same in the coming week too.

Looking at the divided weather picture currently being experienced in the UK, Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said there is a “lot of sunshine around to help to keep things feeling pretty warm” in the south of England, as temperatures reached about 23C in the Greater London area on Saturday afternoon.

But he added: “If we take a look further north-west though it is quite a different story, so western areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland are much cloudier today and we are actually seeing some very unseasonably strong winds.

“It is the eastern side of Scotland that has sort of been pushing towards the high teens mark in terms of their temperature, just seeing a few more drier and brighter spells.”

Met office latest weather forecast

The Argus: Hot weather coming in from Spain could spell sunshine for the South East. Picture: PAHot weather coming in from Spain could spell sunshine for the South East. Picture: PA

The Met Office had warned that ex-tropical Storm Alex would cause strong winds and showers in some areas.

Mr Vautrey said: “We will sort of continue slightly with this north/west south/east split into next week as well, so we have high pressure building into the south which will allow things to stay relatively settled.

“As we move into the end of the week, that’s when we are starting to pick up the signal for the potential for some significant heat to come up from the south.”

He said this was “still a fair way off at the moment”, so there is is still some uncertainty.

Mr Vautrey said: “There is a signal in that the heat we have currently got over Spain – I believe they are experiencing rather high temperatures at the moment – could edge its way northwards to south-eastern areas of the UK, at least for the end of the week.

“So at the moment, the model wants to take us up to mid-20s by the middle of the week and then potentially into low 30s for Friday, which would be the warmest conditions we have seen over the course of this year so far.”

The Met Office’s highest recorded temperature for the UK this year was 27.5C at Heathrow in Hillingdon, west London, on May 17.

London and the South East are set to enjoy the “hottest of the weather” because the high-pressure is not extending across the whole of the country, which will keep thing “cooler in northern areas”, but they “will probably still see a gradual increase in temperatures”, Mr Vautrey concluded.