Parts of the UK to see temperatures up to 22C as warmest day of the year expected
Wednesday could be the hottest day of the year in some parts of the UK, as temperatures are forecast to reach as high as 22 degrees.
Following heavy rain and strong winds across the country, temperatures in many regions will be warmer than Barcelona and Athens.
The weather is forecast to be dry and hot across much of the UK after cold Arctic air brought temperatures down over the last few days.
Met Office presenter Alex Burkill said: “The best of sunshine, almost wall-to-wall blue skies, will be across much of England and Wales.
“Temperatures will rise considerably and we will see them reaching highs… We are seeing temperatures dropping into the 20s… 22C cannot be ruled out.”
Wednesday’s temperatures could surpass the highest temperature of the year recorded in early March, with Northolt in London seeing a temperature of 19.2 degrees.
Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland will see cloudier weather, milder temperatures and possibly light rain.
Temperatures will drop slightly across much of the country on Thursday but will remain dry and stable. By Friday the Met Office expects temperatures to cool towards seasonal averages.
Dan Harris, chief forecaster for the Met Office, said: “This is due to the additional increase expected from east to south-east winds passing over upland areas, known as the Foehn effect.
“This week there will be a large daily temperature range, which is the difference between the maximum daytime temperature and the minimum nighttime temperature. Thanks to clear skies during the day, we will see some cold nights after warmer days, with a few places experiencing frost.”
Weekly weather forecast from Meteorology
Wednesday
Areas of fog will clear across England and Wales, leaving it with a warm and sunny day. Cloudier skies are possible for Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and perhaps northern England, with light rain possible. Sunny and showery in the rest of Scotland.
Nighty
It is clear, there are occasional areas of fog in the first hours. Thicker cloud in the south of Scotland could yield the odd spot of light rain. With the rural frost comes the coolness.
Thursday
After a cold start, most will have a warm, sunny day with light winds. However, some southern parts of Scotland and the north of England will once again remain quite cloudy.
Outlook from Friday to Sunday
Sunny weather is drying out for many as we head into the weekend. There is a risk of widespread rain across northern Scotland on Saturday, perhaps more widely north on Sunday. It gets cooler.
