UK weather: Temperatures of 30C continue with warning of thundery showers on Bank Holiday weekend

Warm nights are also predicted at around 18 C in the south

Men relax in the sun in Hyde Park in London. Temperatures in the capital are expected to hover around 30 C while Manchester will see mid- to low- 20s (Rex Features)

The hot and muggy weather - with some heavy rain and thunder thrown in - is expected to continue through to the weekend.

Temperatures in London and the south east will remain around 30 C or just under through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with warm nights remaining as high as 18 C.

Manchester will experience slightly lower temperatures on Thursday at 20 C to 21 C with similar levels in Edinburgh and Glasgow, said the Met Office.

But the south east and south will also see scattered showers on Thursday moving up through central England and turning into heavy rain over parts of Wales and northern England as the day goes on.

Friday is set to brighten up again as hotter air moves up the south east and temperatures return to the high 20s across most of the southern half of the UK, said a Met Office spokesperson.

"Friday is a good day, with warm air coming into the south east and temperatures in the high 20s," said the spokesperson.

"But showers will be moving into Scotland on Friday morning, with some quite heavy and thundery."

Further north on Friday, showers are once again predicted with thunder and possibly "a bit of hail" sprinkling parts of Scotland.

Yet temperatures in Manchester and surrounding areas will once again be a little warmer on Friday, at about 22 C and 23 C.

The location of showers at the weekend is looking a little less easy to predict, said the Met Office spokesperson.

"A low pressure system off the west coast as we approach the weekend will be influencing the weather, but exactly where and timings are difficult to assess at the moment," they said.

"We're certainly looking at the possibility of an outbreak of thundery showers, with good weather likely to stay in the south east but the slightly wetter weather front moving up the north of the country."