It will be another scorching hot day with a yellow alert in force from 11.30 am to 5 pm, but some respite is round the corner with the warm air mass and dust gradually receding by Friday.
Temperatures will drop further over the weekend with the Met Office forecasting showers and thunderstorms
In its early morning weather bulletin, the Met Office said Thursday will be mainly fine and hot, but clouds that form locally early in the afternoon may lead to isolated showers and thunderstorms in the mountains and inland.
Temperatures will rise to 41 C inland, around 36 on the south and east coasts, around 32 C on the west and north coasts and around 31 C in the mountains.
Tonight will be mainly fine. Temperatures will fall to around 21 C inland, the south and east coasts, around 22 C on the west and north coasts and around 18 C in the mountains.
On Friday, there will be increased cloud. There will be a significant drop in temperatures, but these will remain a little above the seasonal average.
Saturday will start off mainly fine, but clouds that form are expected to lead to isolated showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the mountains, inland and in southeast and east coasts, at midday and in the afternoon.
The evening will be mainly cloudy in places and isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast. Thunderstorms are expected to be accompanied by hail. Temperatures will drop further to close to average for the time of year.
Sunday will start off mainly cloudy in place and isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast, but these will quickly clear.
Temperatures will edge down a little more and in some areas will be below the seasonal average.
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