The Met Office has confirmed today is officially the hottest start to the month of May on record, with 28C recorded in Kew Gardens, London, shortly after 1pm. However, the latest weather maps suggest the sweltering hot weather is not going to last.

They show the mercury could plummet a staggering 22C in the capital before the end of the week. According to WX Charts, the temperature could plunge to as low as 6C in London on around noon on Sunday. East Anglia may see 7C, but most of the rest of the country will see temperatures between 3C and 5C in the middle of the day– the Scottish Highlands could be as cold as 1C. As the day progresses, things should warm up a little, with a top temperature of 12C possible in the south-west of England.

Wales could see temperatures a degree or two lower, while eastern areas won't see temperatures above 10C.

According to WX Charts radar for Europe, the UK will be outlier in terms of the cold weather this weekend.

Slithers of northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and almost all of Scandinavia will be just as cold or colder, but the rest of the continent will be warmer.

May 5 – a bank holiday – could be just as cold. In the early hours of the morning, large parts of Wales, and parts of the north-west of England, southern Scotland, and the Highlands could see temperatures plunge to as low as 0C.

The Met Office's forecast for Saturday until Monday also suggests temperatures will drop from the highs seen over the past couple of days.

It states: "Scattered showers in the south at times, and a few further north, though a lot of dry weather for many with some sunshine. Temperatures dropping, becoming rather cool in places."

Looking ahead for May 6-15, the Met Office forecasts: "Dry with sunny spells across the UK at the start of this period, with cool and breezy conditions soon giving way to less windy and slightly warmer weather which will develop through the working week.

"Dry conditions will dominate the weather across the UK, but showers or spells of light rain may also occur at times. These are most likely to affect areas around the north and east of the UK.

"Winds will mostly be light, but could become breezy again at times across the far north. Temperatures will generally be near normal at first, with an overall warming trend by the end of the week. Temperatures will likely be above or around normal through the following week."