Time to go shopping for suncream! Crowds pack the beaches as temperatures get set to soar towards 86F this week in long-awaited heatwave

Sunseekers have been urged to dust off their hats and take their sun cream back out of the cupboard as temperatures are expected to rise to almost 86F (30C).

The Met Office warned Britons they could suffer sunburn if they don't prepare for warmer conditions even as the summer peak has passed. 

Warm weather is due to return to England and Wales beginning on Sunday with temperatures rising on Tuesday to around 82F (28C) before thunderstorms in the second half of the week put a dampener on the hot spell.

The storms will start in the western parts of England and Wales before moving east into next weekend, the Met Office said.

The Met Office warned Britons they could suffer sunburn if they don't prepare for warmer conditions even as the summer peak has passed. Pictured, thousands of sunseekers headed to Bournemouth beach on Saturday

The Met Office warned Britons they could suffer sunburn if they don't prepare for warmer conditions even as the summer peak has passed. Pictured, thousands of sunseekers headed to Bournemouth beach on Saturday

Warm weather is due to return to England and Wales beginning on Sunday with temperatures rising on Tuesday to around 82F (28C) before thunderstorms in the second half of the week put a dampener on the hot spell. Pictured, crowds headed to Bournemouth for the Air Festival

Warm weather is due to return to England and Wales beginning on Sunday with temperatures rising on Tuesday to around 82F (28C) before thunderstorms in the second half of the week put a dampener on the hot spell. Pictured, crowds headed to Bournemouth for the Air Festival

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Craig Snell, Met Office meteorologist, said: 'The sun is still fairly strong so if you're going to be in the sun for kind of a good length of time, wear a hat and some sun cream because even though it would be kind of past the peak of the summer, the sun can still burn you at this time of year.'

Mr Snell said temperatures are likely to be higher than is usual for the end of summer.

He said: 'For some of us I think they will probably be a good five degrees above average for the time of year.

'At the early part of September we're probably looking at an average of about 68F (21C) across southern parts of the UK.

Gloomy skies and windy weather made for miserable weather conditions at Tynemouth Longsands beach in Tynemouth, North Tyneside on Saturday

Gloomy skies and windy weather made for miserable weather conditions at Tynemouth Longsands beach in Tynemouth, North Tyneside on Saturday

Walkers headed to the beach with their dogs at Tynemouth Longsands beach in Tynemouth, north Tyneside on Saturday

Walkers headed to the beach with their dogs at Tynemouth Longsands beach in Tynemouth, north Tyneside on Saturday

People paddleboard along the River Cam in Cambridge as warm weather is due to return to England and Wales beginning on Sunday, before storms later in the week

People paddleboard along the River Cam in Cambridge as warm weather is due to return to England and Wales beginning on Sunday, before storms later in the week

Women don summer dresses and clutch glasses of prosecco as they enjoy a punt tour along the River Cam for a hen party

Women don summer dresses and clutch glasses of prosecco as they enjoy a punt tour along the River Cam for a hen party

The storms will start in the western parts of England and Wales before moving east into next weekend, the Met Office said. Pictured, beachgoers in Bournemouth

The storms will start in the western parts of England and Wales before moving east into next weekend, the Met Office said. Pictured, beachgoers in Bournemouth

A sea of colourful windbreakers covered Bournemouth Beach on Saturday ahead of the Air Festival

A sea of colourful windbreakers covered Bournemouth Beach on Saturday ahead of the Air Festival

Dull and cloudy skies will be replaced by warmer weather from tomorrow as sunny spells return to the UK. Pictured, Bournemouth beach on Saturday afternoon

Dull and cloudy skies will be replaced by warmer weather from tomorrow as sunny spells return to the UK. Pictured, Bournemouth beach on Saturday afternoon

Few beachgoers braved the sea in Bournemouth on Saturday, with most lounging on the sand

Few beachgoers braved the sea in Bournemouth on Saturday, with most lounging on the sand

'In the north, we are probably looking more around the high teens so 62F (17-18C).'

He said during the last decade warm spells have tended to hit Briton in September, especially towards the beginning of the month.  

A period of high pressure in the west of the UK meant cloudy conditions for many over the last week but these systems will draw southward over the weekend, bringing warmer winds from continental Europe, he said.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to see less warm weather with fronts moving in from the North Atlantic likely to bring spells of rain with them.