Scorching temperatures of up to 30C and dazzling sunshine could beam down on Suffolk and north Essex in a mini heatwave this weekend, forecasters believe.
But sun-seekers will have to wait a few days for the warmer weather to return - as parts of East Anglia could be battered by potentially "severe" thunderstorms, the worst of which are predicted to strike overnight tonight.
Particularly stormy conditions are expected tomorrow morning, experts believe, and Met Office yellow weather warnings are in place for thunderstorms until approximately 10am.
Forecasters have alerted people to the possibility of lightning strikes, flooding, hail and strong winds overnight on Monday into Tuesday.
"There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost," Met Office experts said.
Suffolk police are also warning drivers to take extra care during the stormy weather.
In particular, they advised motorists to be aware of poor visibility and extra surface water on the roads.
However, forecasters at Weatherquest said tonight's stormy weather was expected to be the last of the rain for most people this week.
Today, youngsters at Ipswich's Bourne Park made a splash in the sunshine, with temperatures climbing to a balmy 27C.
Met Office experts said they are expecting the rest of the week to stay largely dry - with sunshine set to return later on.
Temperatures are unlikely to start off as high tomorrow as they were today, dropping to a milder 24C.
Cooler weather is expected to continue during the middle of the week, thanks to a breeze coming in from the north.
Conditions on Wednesday are set to reach around 20-21C with slightly warmer temperatures in store on Thursday and Friday.
Coastal areas will remain cooler, however, with temperatures only expected to reach the high teens during this period.
Yet experts believe the warmest temperatures look set to be on Saturday - where conditions could reach 27C or 28C.
If the mercury does reach these heights, it will mean that Suffolk will be hotter than Tenerife in the Canary Islands and as warm as the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.
However, the summer warmth is set to cool off as soon as it arrived with forecasters expecting temperatures to begin to dip to around 25C on Sunday.
Looking ahead to next week, forecasters are already expecting a cooler start.
For latest travel information and weather updates, visit our website.
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