A sweltering 'Spanish Plume' will send thermometers rocketing to 32C on Saturday (August 22) with tropical storms and even tornadoes forecast.

Torrential rain, gales and thunder triggered by a volatile Atlantic weather system threaten chaos from Saturday night.

And forecasters warn to batten down the hatches in the run up to the bank holiday with summer likely to end on a stormy note.

The mercury will soar into the high 20Cs across the south on Saturday with a slightly cooler 21C expected elsewhere.

Heavy downpours will dump more than two inches of rain across central regions from the afternoon sparking fears of sudden and disruptive flash floods.

Forecasters have blamed the frenzied weather picture on a powerful jet stream dragging storms in from the Atlantic.

Piers Corbyn, forecaster for WeatherAction, warned things are about to turn more unsettled with even the risk of tornadoes.

He said: "Our models are showing that it is going to be extremely unsettled over the next few days with the risk of strong winds, flooding and even tornado activity in places."

MeteoGroup said a "Spanish plume" would send temperatures rocketing towards 32C by the weekend.

Forecaster Julian Mayes warned a surge of heat from the Continent will trigger "severe thunderstorms" from tomorrow.

He said: "As the wind becomes southerly on Friday and Saturday, a brief surge of heat from the Continent will affect central and eastern parts of England.

"However, heavy rain is likely to become widespread through the weekend, especially in the west and north. Severe thunderstorms may affect some areas.

"A subtle difference in wind direction promises at least one day of fairly hot weather for parts of the country.

"The areas most likely to see this are central and eastern England, as hot air from the Continent pushes northwards as a weather pattern termed colloquially by meteorologists as a 'Spanish Plume' develops.

"Saturday looks to be the hottest day, and temperatures may reach around 30C in London, 28C in Norwich and Cambridge, and 25 or 26 C in Bath, Birmingham, and Lincoln."