The Met Office has issued a thunderstorm warning as parts of England brace for another day of scorching 33C temperatures - before heavy rain moves in.
Droughts have been declared in eight areas of southern and central England and an amber warning for 'extreme heat' remains in place until midnight as the latest summer heatwave is set to go out with a bang.
It comes as several wildfires have already erupted across England in recent days amid the driest summer in half a century.
Met Officer meteorologist Dan Stroud said the weather will remain dry across the south today.
He added: 'For the rest of the weekend, across the south, there will be a continuation of the very dry and hot conditions.'
But thunderstorms are expected in northern parts of the country, with the forecaster having issued a yellow weather warning from noon today through to 6am tomorrow for most of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A similar warning is in place for Wales and England from 10am until midnight.
Mr Stroud continued: 'As we move into Sunday, a slight change with low pressure starting to arrive from the south.
'There is an increasing risk of some isolated showers across Devon and Cornwall, very early on Sunday.
'Most places still generally dry and fine, with some strong August sunshine, with those temperatures rising rapidly during the course of Sunday morning and into the afternoon.'
The sun rises over the countryside in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, this morning as temperatures are forecast to again soar above 30C
A packed Bournemouth beach pictured on Saturday as Britons flocked to the coast to make the most of the heatwave this weekend
Festival goers at Boardmasters 2022 in Newquay, Cornwall, on Sunday waking up to another day of scorching heat as temperatures are set to reach 33C
Met Officer meteorologist Dan Stroud said the weather will remain dry across the south today, with thunderstorms expected in northern areas
Hot air balloons fly over fields across the North Somerset landscape early on Sunday morning as parts of the south brace for 33C temperatures today
The mass ascent this morning forms part of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2022, with clear skies today providing spectacular views
Data collected from more than 18 water companies, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water, showed that sites ranging from Oxfordshire and London, to Warwickshire, had no water or poor pressure
A picturesque sky in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, this morning with the UK heatwave expected to go out with a bang this evening when thunderstorms arrive
Searing temperatures this week have already central reservation barriers along a stretch of the A63 in Yorkshire (pictured) to buckle
Safety barriers on the A63 in East Yorkshire appear to have buckled in the heat, with the ordinarily straight central reservations having bent towards each other
It comes after a body was found in a Doncaster lake on Saturday after emergency services rushed to reports that a man in his 20s had got into difficulty in water.
Emergency services were called to Lakeside lake at around 4.10pm yesterday, according to South Yorkshire Police.
Searing temperatures this week have already central reservation barriers along a stretch of the A63 in Yorkshire to buckle.
Pictures taken on Thursday from the Water Lane Bridge, in South Cave, show stretches of the ordinarily straight barriers with large kinks and bends.
Meanwhile, an amber heat warning remains in place until midnight across parts of England and Wales.
The barriers were installed on the dual carriageway earlier during the winter between junction 38 of the M62 and South Cave.
A spokesperson for National highways told the BBC that the buckling may have been caused by ground conditions, but added that the heatwave was 'not being ruled out'.
The weather warning means heat-related illnesses including sunburn and heat exhaustion are 'likely' among the general population, while delays to public transport are also 'possible'.
Mr Stroud has said there remains a risk of further wildfires, too.
He added: 'It has been extremely dry for an extended period and the ground and vegetation has been baked dry, so there is a significant risk.'
An official drought was declared in eight areas of England on Friday by the National Drought Group (NDG), which comprises representatives from the Government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others.
And the drought could persist into next year, the EA has said.
Jersey Water has become the latest company to urge residents not to use hosepipes and sprinklers after the island, some 85 miles south of the English coast, reached its second 'absolute drought' of 2022 after more than 15 days without rain on August 5.
According to the firm, the demand for water during the week reached around 22 million litres of water per day, around 2.5 million more compared to the same period last year.
John Curtin, executive director for local operations at the EA, also said it will take 'weeks' worth of rain' to replenish water sources.
Three water companies - Welsh Water, Southern Water, and South East Water - have all imposed hosepipe bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced a ban will start on August 26 and Thames Water is planning one in the coming weeks.
But incoming thunderstorms may not help alleviate drought conditions as the parched ground doesn't easily absorb water, instead it tends to run off the surface.
This means the rainfall is transported quickly into streams and rivers and increases the chance of a flash flood.
On Friday night, fire crews in Derbyshire tackled a huge blaze with four fire engines attending the scene in Creswell, Worksop.
Footage shared online showed flames filling the horizon and large plumes of smoke in the sky above a residential area.
Dartford Heath in Kent was also alight as a result of scorching heat on Saturday, with temperatures reaching highs of 34C (93.2F) in the local area.
A hot air balloon flies over the North Somerset countryside as part of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2022 on Sunday morning
Nine fire crews attended a wildfire in a field near Newhall, Harlow, where they were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to a nearby woodland and homes
People making the most of the weather at Helens Bay Beach in Northern Ireland on Saturday, where it reached highs of 25C (77F)
And in Dorset, a team of firefighters worked through the night to bring a wildfire at Studland under control, which was believed to have been sparked by a disposable barbecue.
Dorset Police said yesterday that firefighters had discovered an unexploded piece of ammunition believed to date to the Second World War on the scorched heathland.
The force said a bomb disposal unit would be attending and warned the public in the surrounding area they may hear a loud bang as they dispose of the device.
It comes as Dorset Police appealed for anyone with any information about the cause of a large heath fire in Poole on August 4 to come forward.
Witnesses saw three young boys on bicycles making off from the scene at Upton Heath at about 2.30pm.
The fire had a "significant" impact on the community, and took firefighters several hours to put out.
It comes after beach-goers flocked to Brighton and Bournemouth yesterday as temperatures reached 35C.
Meanwhile, pre-season rugby games were forced to be cancelled because the surfaces are unplayable after weeks without rain.
The pitches have burned out and crusted over, making them rock hard and bringing an element of risk as it increases the chances of players suffering injuries.
The Football Supporters' Association also urged clubs change their rules to helps of fans during the scorching afternoon in the stands.