The hottest day of the Bank Holiday weekend has passed, but Britons can still expect to bask in pleasant temperatures of up to 75F - hotter than in Crete and Croatia - as glorious sunshine continues to sweep the nation.
The Met Office said most of the UK will be dry and bright for the rest of the three-day weekend, after weeks of wetter than usual weather for August.
Forecasters predicted that 'west is best' for the rest of the three-day weekend, with Wales and south-west England expected to have most of the warm weather across Sunday and Monday.
Although the hottest Bank Holiday day has passed, sunseekers can still enjoy scorching temperatures of 75.2F (24C) throughout Sunday, as Plymouth reached a sizzling 75F (23.9C) early in the day, the Met Office confirmed.
Despite the slowly cooling temperatures, Britain is still basking in balmy heats hotter than Greek island Crete and Paris, France, which have both seen highs of 66F (19C), and Zagreb, Croatia, which has hotted up to a mere 64F (18C).
Meanwhile, traffic is expected to pile up across England's motorways on Monday, as hoards of Britons flocked to the seaside and popular beauty spots on Friday to make the most of the late summer sunshine.
Photographs showed sun-seekers out in their droves on Weymouth and Bournemouth beaches, as the golden sands became a dense sea of umbrellas and tents throughout Sunday.
The Met Office said most of the UK will be dry and bright for the rest of the three-day weekend, after weeks of wetter than usual weather for August. Pictured: Visitors flock to Weymouth beach on Sunday
Although the hottest Bank Holiday day is behind us, sunseekers can still bask in scorching temperatures of 75.2F (24C) throughout Sunday, the Met Office confirmed. Pictured: Visitors enjoy a dip in the sea at Weymouth beach
Meanwhile, traffic is expected to pile up on the country's motorways on Monday, as Britons are expected to make return home after spending the Bank Holiday weekend at the seaside. Pictured: Jam-packed car park at Durdle Door in Dorset
Despite the slowly cooling temperatures, Britain is still basking in balmy heats hotter than Greek island Crete and Paris, France, which have both seen highs of 66F (19C). Pictured: Visitors pack the beach at Lulworth Cove in Dorset on Sunday
Elsewhere, in Durdle Door in Dorset, a group of daredevil swimmers were pictured leaping off a rock arch and in to the sea as they cooled off from the scorching sunshine.
Craig Snell, Met Office forecaster, said: 'If you are looking for sunshine west is definitely best.'
However, temperatures are expected to drop to a cooler 53F (12C) overnight, as western areas are expected to have clear skies overnight, while eastern areas will become more cloudy and overcast.
Temperatures could fall to a chilly 41F (5C) across the north west overnight, while Wales could see its current balmy temperatures cool off to mere 44F (7C).
The Met Office said the rest of the Bank Holiday is expected to remain dry, despite cloud rolling in across the east, but added that there is a small chance of light showers in the east on Sunday night and Monday morning.
On the final day of the three-day weekend, temperatures are expected to cool with highs of just 71F (22C) being predicted across the UK, with the east expected to cloud over throughout the day, while the west will enjoy more clear blue skies.
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The Met Office said the rest of the Bank Holiday is expected to remain dry, despite cloud rolling in across the east, but added that there is a small chance of light showers in the east on Sunday night. Pictured: Bournemouth beach packed with visitors
Elsewhere, in Durdle Door in Dorset, a group of daredevil swimmers were pictured leaping off the rock arch and in to the sea as they cooled off from the scorching sunshine
On Monday, temperatures are expected to cool with highs of just 71F (22C) being predicted across the UK, with the east expected to cloud over throughout the day. Pictured: Beach hut owners soaked up some rays in Bournemouth
The RAC estimated that a staggering 16.7million leisure trips will be made on UK roads across the three-day weekend, as people flock to the seaside. Pictured: Family paddleboarding in the sea in Bournemouth
Holidaymakers were pictured fun on paddle boards next to a fishing boat at Lulworth Cove in Dorset on a day of scorching hot sunshine, which reached highs of 75F (24C)
Photographs showed sun-seekers out in their droves on Weymouth beach, as the golden sands became a dense sea of umbrellas and tents on Sunday morning
Forecasters predicted 'west is best' for the rest of the three-day weekend, with Wales and south-west England expected to have most of the warm weather. Pictured: Daredevil swimmers leap off the the rock arch at Durdle Door
Holidaymakers returning from a boat trip dock at jetty at the packed beach at Lulworth Cove in Dorset on Sunday, as temperatures remained a balmy 75F (24C), despite cooling from the previously scorching day
Photographs showed sun-seekers out in their droves on Weymouth and Bournemouth beaches (pictured: Sunseekers enjoy a BBQ on Bournemouth esplanade), as the golden sands became a dense sea of umbrellas and tents throughout Sunday
National Highways said around 98 per cent of England's motorways and major A roads will be free of roadworks. Pictured: The car park is packed with vehicles as holidaymakers and visitors flock to Lulworth Cove in Dorset
Planned works set to hit people heading home after bank holiday weekend
National Highways said around 98% of England's motorways and major A roads will be free of roadworks.
National Rail has planned major engineering work, which will see the lines between London St Pancras International and Mill Hill Broadway closed for the Bank Holiday weekend. It is to allow for construction work on the new station at Brent Cross.
East Midlands Railway services are not running between Luton and London St Pancras International, while Thameslink services will not run between Mill Hill Broadway and London St Pancras International.
Elsewhere, there is £17million worth of planned railway upgrades taking place between London, the West Midlands and the North West, with an amended timetable in place from London Euston, with platforms 12-16 out of use.
The line between Moorgate and Finsbury Park is closed and trains will be diverted to London Kings Cross as maintenance work is underway to improve passenger safety.
Other work includes a summer engineering project, which will replace a major junction near Bristol Temple Meads station.
In London, the DLR will have no service between Westferry and Lewisham on Sunday or Monday, while there will be no services running on the Waterloo and City Line on Monday.
There will be minor disruptions to the Piccadilly line this weekend, with no service between Wood Green and Cockfosters, or Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
The RAC estimated that a staggering 16.7million leisure trips will be made on UK roads across the three-day weekend, with Friday night seeing 'bumper-to-bumper' traffic on many of the country's motorways - including the M1, M5, M6, M25 and M56 - as many left on their getaways.
Traffic continued to be slow in certain areas, such as Cornwall and Devon, on Saturday morning as many headed to the coast to make the most of the balmy August weather - despite warnings to stay away from the areas as Covid-19 continues to grip the regions.
But the traffic congestion is expected to continue into Monday, while roads in the south west of England, including the M5, are predicted to be worst affected.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis previously said: 'It's been an incredibly busy summer on the UK's roads with vast numbers of people on the move both for staycation holidays and for day trips to the sea and countryside.
'Our figures suggest this is a trend that will continue, with bumper-to-bumper bank holiday traffic expected, especially on the most popular holiday routes.
'While this weekend will see many people returning from summer holidays in the UK, the fine and settled weather will also be seen as an opportunity by lots of people to jump in their cars for last-minute trips - after all, this is the last bank holiday weekend in England, Wales and Northern Ireland before Christmas.'
Inrix analyst Bob Pishue said: 'Drivers hitting the road for one last getaway before the end of summer should expect long delays on key corridors.
'Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.
'Our advice is to avoid travelling in the afternoon. Leave early in the day or be prepared for some travel times to double.'
It comes as the rail industry said ticket sales to seaside hotspots were already more than double the number sold over last year's August bank holiday.
On some leisure routes passenger numbers are even expected to surge past pre-pandemic levels, with research by consultancy WPI Economics suggesting rail passengers alone will on average spend £116 each per trip.
The Met Office predicted that the late summer sunshine will continue throughout next week as conditions will remain dry with balmy temperatures in the low twenties, but there is a slight risk of the rain from the west as the weather could become more unsettled next weekend.
On Saturday, the Met Office recorded scorching temperatures of nearly 77F (25C) in Strathallan, Scotland, while areas of Derbyshire hit 75F (24C) and Northern Ireland enjoyed a pleasant 73F (23C).
Craig Snell, Met Office forecaster, said: 'If you're looking for the best day out of the weekend as a whole, then it was Saturday.
'Overall, a lot of the UK had a good day today particularly in the west. And that trend seems set to continue.
'Although it will gradually get cloudier from the east over the next two days, meaning it won't be as warm, it'll still be relatively dry in most places.'
The Met Office predicted that the late summer sunshine will continue into next week as conditions will remain dry with balmy temperatures in the low twenties. Pictured: Holidaymakers enjoying the views of Stair Hole at Lulworth Cove in Dorset
It comes as the rail industry said ticket sales to seaside hotspots (pictured: Woman sunbathing on Bournemouth beach) were already more than double the number sold over last year's August bank holiday
Traffic is expected to pile up across the country's motorways on Monday, as hoards of Britons flocked to the seaside (pictured: Weymouth beach) and popular beauty spots to make the most of the late summer sunshine
Temperatures are expected to drop to a cooler 53F (12C) overnight, with western areas expected to have clear skies overnight, while eastern areas will become more overcast and cloudy. Pictured: Rock jumpers at Durdle Door in Dorset
Temperatures could fall to a cold 41F (5C) overnight across the north west, while Wales could see the balmy temperatures cool off to just 44F (7C). Pictured: Two people sunbathe on deckchairs on Weymouth beach
