Sun worshippers returning to work after a record-breaking Bank Holiday weekend are unlikely to be missing out on precious tanning time, with forecasters predicting an abrupt end to the searing heat and cloudless skies.
Many parts of the UK bathed in sunshine as the late August Bank Holiday Monday became the hottest on record, peaking at 28.2C (82.8F) in Lincolnshire.
But the mercury is expected to drop to the mid-teens over the coming days, with the prospect of some frost in pockets of northern England before the end of the week.
Marco Petagna, senior forecaster with the Met Office, said: “There is no sign of any prolonged period of hot weather.
Brighton beach in Sussex proved popular on Monday (Gareth Fuller/PA)
“Monday was pretty warm but things are going to be turning much cooler, with a three-way split across the country.”
He said temperatures would be warmest in the south east of England, particularly inland parts of Kent, where highs of 28C were still possible.
But cloudy skies and scattered rainfall in the south west of England, the Midlands and Wales meant it would be “much cooler.”
Mr Petagna said temperatures would likely only reach 15-18C (59-64.4F) in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.
He said: “There will be scattered showers and it will feel quite breezy – there is even scope for a little bit of frost later in the week.”