The UK could see its hottest day so far this year, as temperatures continue to rise, reaching a high of 26C in parts of England over the weekend, forecasters have said.
The Met Office said the weather in England and Wales will be warm, sunny and dry, with any showers expected to be brief and isolated.
Parts of south-east England are expected to reach a maximum of 26C on Saturday, beating the current record this year of 23.4C in Santon Downham in Suffolk, with temperatures across the country substantially warmer than their seasonal averages.
London is forecast to hit 23C to 24C daily peaks for the rest of the week, with slightly cooler temperatures of about 20C across parts of western England and Wales.
The forecaster said Thursday and Friday will be sunny and dry in most of the UK, with scattered showers across northern areas and heavier rainfall in northern parts of Scotland, which is expected to move away from Thursday.
Conditions in Scotland and Northern Ireland are also expected to improve throughout the week, with highs of 22C in Glasgow on Saturday and other areas in the high teens.
Amy Bokota, senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “It’s already been quite warm but as we head later on through the week, I’m expecting it to slowly climb day on day.”
It has been a warm day for many today
Temperatures are set to rise even higher over the next few days 🌡️📈 pic.twitter.com/UgLZtwH0Mh
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 8, 2024
She added: “For the UK as a whole, for the early part of May, the average daytime temperature is around 16C, so it’s quite a bit above average.”
Next week will bring unsettled weather, the Met Office said, as temperatures cool and an area of low pressure from the Atlantic brings scattered showers and possible thunderstorms as early as Sunday afternoon.
“We’ll likely see temperatures back into the high teens, perhaps low twenties in a few spots, but certainly a few degrees less,” Ms Bokota said.
The Met Office said the sunny weather will bring “moderate to high” UV levels which could cause sunburn even where it is cloudy, and recommended people use sunscreen and wear suitable clothing, including hats and sunglasses.