Temperatures will rise higher than popular holiday destinations like St Tropez, Santorini, and even Marbella on Spain's Costa del Sol.

California's Los Angeles may also be cooler than parts of Great Britain.

It is forecasted to be at least 28C across London and the South East by Friday afternoon, and the heat will stick around into next week.

The South West, Midlands and North West are looking to be cooler, at around 25C today.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued a level 2 heat-health alert warning, which will be in place from Monday to Friday next week and covers the East of England, South East and London regions.

Find out what the forecast is where you live

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Oliver said: "We're at the start of a stretch of warm weather for much of England and Wales, that could last for much of next week.

"In the short term, many can expect temperatures in the mid to high 20s Celsius over the weekend, and then in the low 30s during the start of next week.

"Much of next week will remain warm for the time of year as well as dry and sunny."

Today is predicted to be dry with sunshine across England and Wales.

Over the weekend and into early next week, most areas are expected to be dry with warm temperatures. The North West, meanwhile, may see some cloud and light rain.

For an official Met Office heatwave, specific thresholds based on the particular region must be met for three consecutive days.

The last heatwave in the UK was three weeks ago - with 17 June marking the hottest day of the year so far at close to 33C.

The Red Cross has warned people of the dangers of very hot temperatures.

Spokesman Matthew Killick said: "We're all looking forward to enjoying some warm weather this summer, but it's important to remember that heat can be very dangerous, especially for children, older people and those with underlying health conditions.

"Climate change means we're experiencing longer and more intense heatwaves, but a worrying number of people aren't aware of the risks around hot weather.

"In England alone there were more than 2,500 excess deaths in the summer of 2020, and unfortunately it's predicted that heat-related deaths in the UK could treble within 30 years."