Summer could finally be on its way to Essex amid hopes of a heatwave arriving in time for the bank holiday weekend. 

Forecasters have warned of yet more rain throughout the coming days, but say a period of settled, dry and warmer weather is on the horizon. 

The Essex Weather Centre is even predicting temperatures will rise above 20c in early June - and could be even warmer than that this weekend.

It says there will be showers and outbreaks of rain across the county until Thursday, when drier weather finally arrives. 

Maximum temperatures of 18c are predicted on Thursday and Friday before they are then expected to rise as high as 23c by Saturday. 

The weather centre's weekly forecast suggests it could also hit 23c on Sunday, but is likely to be a cloudier day. 

Meanwhile the BBC's forecast is suggesting temperatures will hit 20c on June 1 and remain around that figure for at least the following five days. 

In it's long range forecast for the first week of June, the Met Office says temperatures will be much closer to the average for the time of year. 

It states: "High pressure will be the largely dominant feature across the UK during this period, as it gradually builds in from the west.

"This will bring mainly fine and settled conditions across the UK, with temperatures recovering and feeling locally warm in southern and central areas.

"Mostly dry conditions are likely to continue through this period especially towards the south and east but there remains the risk of some brief interludes of rain or showers, most likely affecting areas in the northwest and far south.

"Temperatures overall are likely to be close to average for the time of year, with some warmer days balanced out by colder nights."

The Met Office also says similarly dry and settled weather is likely between June 6 and June 20, with the south and east of England expected to see the best weather.