UK weather – Easter to bring hottest temperatures of year so far with 22C scorcher
EASTER weekend is set to bring the hottest temperatures of the year so far with a 22C scorcher, forecasters have said. Warm weather is set to continue throughout the week, with dry conditions expected for most of the country ahead of the bank holiday. Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said despite the heat, the North […]
EASTER weekend is set to bring the hottest temperatures of the year so far with a 22C scorcher, forecasters have said.
Warm weather is set to continue throughout the week, with dry conditions expected for most of the country ahead of the bank holiday.
Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said despite the heat, the North West will also experience some lingering cloud, making eastern areas the best destination for sun-seekers over the weekend.
She said: “If people are travelling for sunshine, then further eastern areas are more likely to see that brighter weather.
“I think in the main for the bank holiday weekend, we’ll see temperatures quite widely above average across the UK and hopefully they could be very warm in the South East in particular.
“Warmer than average certainly, but nowhere near heatwave criteria.
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“It will definitely be warmer than the week we’ve just had and last week.”
The warmest temperature of the year so far has been 20.8C, meaning the highs predicted for the South East on the weekend would set a new record for 2022.
She said: “We’ll see temperatures generally come up through the week. Today (Monday) we’re seeing highs of 18, then from Thursday onwards temperatures could reach 20, 21, quite possibly 22.
“Across southern and eastern areas we’re more likely to see some sunshine and clearer skies in the afternoon.”
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Some drizzly rain is expected later in the week across the North West along with the cloud, but it is not likely to cause disruption.
Rising temperatures this week are expected to be driven by a “Saharan” blast of hot air coming from the south as the long Easter weekend approaches.
Malta is forecast to see a maximum temperature of 18C while Ibiza should see temperatures rise to only 16C and Greece to remain at around 17C.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “The trend is for temperatures to rise.
“If things play out, we could be looking at 20C or 21C in the south over Easter.”
BBC meteorologist Louise Lear said the warm temperatures are “coming up from the Sahara”.
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She said: “It’s going to be pushing its way steadily up north with the exception perhaps of the Northern isles.
“It looks like Wednesday will be the warmest day of the week with 19C or 20C not out of the question and a great deal of dry weather as we head towards the Easter weekend.”
Good Friday is forecast to see warm temperatures between 15C and 18C across the UK.
Aidan McGivern, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “Warmer weather is on the way for the start of the week, and we could even see 20C in the southeast.
“The general trend is for it to turn warmer with higher pressure increasingly likely through the week and into the following week.
“There is still the chance of some rain mainly in the west.”
Scotland and north-western parts of the UK could also see some rainfall.
Bookmakers are expecting a scorcher too, with Ladbrokes slashing its odds to 5/2 for it being the hottest Easter on record.
Spokesman Alex Apati said: “It looks as though a record-breaking hot Easter could now be on the cards if the latest odds are anything to go by.”
Hay fever sufferers though have been warned to take care as the pollen count is set to soar.
Airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg said: “The start of the tree pollen season has been slow, with the poor weather so far most of this spring.
“But it looks as if the season could start in earnest with high pollen counts forecast across the South and East of England on Monday.”
Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said: “It is all change as we go into Monday.
“Warmer conditions will be brought by tropical maritime air coming in from the south west.”
Before the warm weather arrives, Tuesday is set to be mostly a cloudy day with showers or longer spells of rain.
Northern and eastern parts of England will see the worst of the rain in the morning with Scotland suffering in the afternoon.
The south and west should see some late sunshine with gentle winds as the day goes on.
Wednesday will be bright with sunny spells, especially in the early evening, but still with some scattered showers possible in most places.
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Thursday will be mostly cloudy, though with sunshine for southern England.
It will be mostly dry with a chance of a shower.
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