Britain could be hotter than Tenerife and Barcelona this week - but forecasters warn the sweltering heat could bring violent thunderstorms.

Boiling air from the Continent will send thermometers rocketing across swathes of the country from Tuesday (August 11).

The Met Office reports temperatures will only hit 22C but other forecasters have said they could soar to 30C (86F) in southern parts of Europe.

The South East is expecting temperatures in the high 20Cs.

Early forecasts show the hot weather lasting into next week as hot air is dragged in from Europe - currently in the grip of a historic heatwave.

However, it is not all blue skies and sunshine with the sudden and extreme heat threatening to set off vigorous thunderstorms.

The Met Office warned of a muggy, humid and at times stormy picture ahead as heat builds through the week.

Forecaster Marco Petagna said: "As we move through the week there is the potential for things to turn very warm in the south thanks to a tropical continental air mass.

"However, again there is the risk of potentially heavy rain and thundery outbreaks, it is going to feel much more humid in warm air from Europe."

Thursday weather forecast: London to hit 22C

Sunshine and warm temperatures at the weekend finally gave sun-starved Britons something to smile about after a grey and miserable July.

Temperatures hit 27.8C (82F) in Charlwood, Surrey, with the long-awaited return to summer luring families out to Britain's parks and beaches.

The turnaround in the weather has kept bookies on their toes with punters betting on whether this month will turn out to be a scorcher.

Coral is offering odds of 6-4 on August being the hottest on record in the UK with 4-1 on the UK getting the hottest year on record.

Spokesman John Hill said: "The sizzling temperatures this weekend have been enough to convince punters we are set for the hottest August ever.

"The latest odds suggest there is every chance this month could enter the history books, while we are still seeing plenty of month for this year to be the hottest on record in the UK."

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, warned extreme heat this week will trigger thunderstorms particularly in southern regions.

He said: "Britain is now set to see some warm temperatures and settled weather developing for many as we see a return to summer throughout the upcoming week and much of August.

"This pattern change to more influential high pressure is also likely to become quite a prolonged feature as the more dominant player in our overall weather patterns."

Friday: Storms could bring temperatures down to 20C in London

Temperatures will be in the mid to high 20s throughout much of this week in parts of the south, and parts further north could see temperatures ranging from the low to mid 20s at times.

However, some thundery outbreaks could strike towards the end of the week, and some excessive rainfall amounts could fall within small time periods.

Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel UK, warned the south to brace for heavy rain before things start to warm up.

He said: "The south may catch some heavier outbreaks of rain with a waving front lying across the southwest, the Midlands and eastern England.

"The north will be brighter and fresher, the south humid and muggy with temperatures in the low to mid 20s.

"Pressure builds again for the middle of the week with drier and quite sunny weather, but we will again need to watch for another pulse of potentially heavy rain spreading up from France to southern and central Britain later on."

Netweather said ground temperatures in the south will hover around the 30C mark from Tuesday while the north will be cooler at around 20C.

Forecaster Nick Finnis said: "A ridge of high pressure builds in from the west from Tuesday, so becoming largely dry, warm and settled, though some showers are possible in the southeast on Tuesday and some heavy thundery rain could affect the far south on Wednesday.

"High pressure slips south later in the week, which may allow cloud and patchy rain in across western areas, while eastern areas stay dry and sunny."