The current heatwave is set to break tomorrow night, but not before it gets hotter first, according to weather experts.

Yesterday saw temperatures top 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) in the West Midlands, with Birmingham International Airport reporting a sweltering 31 C (88 Fahrenheit) degrees at 5pm.

Experts predict things will get even hotter today and peak tomorrow before dissolving in to thundery show-ers by Thursday.

Almost the entire UK is currently experiencing levels of sunshine and heat more associated with popular holiday destinations such as Ibiza and the Canary Islands.

Birmingham metrologist John Kings said baking temperatures on this scale only hit the UK at most twice a decade.

"It is the kind of spell you get once every five or six years," he said. "We should make the most of it because it is unlikely we will get another prolonged heatwave like this again this summer."

The weekend saw temperatures build up to the high 20s.

Prolonged ratings above 30 degrees are a rarity in the UK, which is why the current heatwave is so unusual, said Mr Kings.

"We hit 30 on Monday and are likely to exceed 30 tomorrow and Wednesday is likely to be the hottest day.

"You have to go back to 1976 for a summer for more consecutive days above 30 degrees when there were something like five or seven days. "That is the summer people tend to remember."

The hot weather is due to dry air from Spain and north Africa induced by an area of high pressure just off the continent.

Currently flowing in a south-easterly direction, it is expected to shift to a more southernly path mid week.

Mr Kings said when that happens the air will rise and pick up moisture.

"Thursday it will become thundery and drop to 27 or 28 C (81/82 F).

"On Friday it will be about 24 C (75 F) and there will be a further drop over the weekend."

Matt Dobson, a forecaster with PA WeatherCentre, said temperatures tomorrow could be as high as 34 C (94 F) in some parts of the West Midlands.

"On Wednesday we will see an extra push of really hot air from France which could take temperatures up to 33 and maybe even 34 across the Birmingham area," he said.

"There are some thundery showers heading north after that. At the moment it is difficult to say where the storms will be but there is a general risk across the UK."

Schools in Birmingham have been issued advice on how to cope with the heat-wave. Education chiefs are urging pupils to wear hats, long sleeves and sunglasses and encouraging teachers to relax school dress codes.

Employers working in air-conditioned offices are also warned to be prepared for the change in climate when they leave, with temperatures remaining high until after sunset. People suffering from asthma are urged to ensure they have their medication on them as the action of sunlight on car exhaust fumes increases pollution.

Western Scotland is the only part of the UK that experienced some cloud and patchy rain yesterday.

The Met Office's Solar UV Index is six or seven for most of England and Wales for the first three days of the week.

A rating of seven means that the risk of damage to your skin if you are fair and burn is very high.

Police urged people not to cool off in rivers and lakes after officers rescued a woman from the River Severn in Shrewsbury.

Bookmaker William Hill said it stood to pay out £100,000 if temperatures hit 38 C (100 F).

Hills have slashed the price of temperatures topping 100F from 6/1 a week ago to 5/4.

A record temperature of 38.1 C (100.6 F) for the UK was set at Gravesend, Kent, on August 10, 2003.