Bexhill basks in the sun as heatwave arrives - in pictures

After a wetter than average summer, according to the Met Office, temperatures are set to reach the high 20s in 1066 Country, thanks to a phenomenon known as a ‘Spanish plume’.

The Met Office said as Hurricane Franklin crossed the Atlantic, it built an area of high pressure over the UK, resulting in drier and warmer conditions.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: “The remnants of Franklin have been absorbed into another area of low pressure, swirling to the west of Iberia.”

The Met Office said the Spanish plume sees warm air pushing north from Iberia, cooler air advancing from the west and strong summer sunshine heating the air near the surface across France and the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency and Met Office has also issued an amber heat-health alert for parts of England, including Sussex.

The amber alert is in effect between today at noon and 9pm on Tuesday, September 12.

Temperatures will be on the rise in the early part of this week, likely peaking on Wednesday, September 6 and Thursday, September 7 with 32°C possible in isolated spots in the south east.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mark Sidaway said: “High pressure is situated to the southeast of the UK, which is bringing more settled conditions with temperatures on the rise through the first half of this week.

“While the highest temperatures are expected in the south, heatwave conditions are likely across much of England and Wales especially, with parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland also likely to see some unseasonably high temperatures.”