A so-called mini-heatwave could be on the cards this week, with one region expected to see temperatures as high as 20C – while others may see showers or more persistent rain
Sunshine and rising temperatures are making a comeback to parts of the UK this week, with highs of 20C forecast in some areas, new weather maps show.
A so-called mini-heatwave could be on the cards by Thursday, April 16, according to WXCharts. Its data shows large swathes of the country turning yellow as clearer skies and warmer conditions move in. By Thursday, the South East is expected to see the highest temperatures, with Kent leading the way and Canterbury predicted to reach 20C.
A Met Office forecast for Wednesday to Friday reads: “Showers or more persistent rain, and brisk winds on Wednesday. However, feeling warm in any brighter breaks. Sunshine and showers on Thursday. Further rain arriving in the west on Friday.”
Conditions are expected to remain mixed across the UK, but with spells of sunshine interspersed with showers in some regions. While the South East is likely to see the warmest weather, other areas are set to record temperatures in the mid to low teens.
A Met Office forecast for Friday added: “The southeast is likely to be driest and brightest. Later in this period, conditions may become drier and more settled, perhaps more especially in the north or northwest, with the south possibly becoming the focus for showers or longer spells of rain. Temperatures will likely be near or slightly above average overall.”
Despite the warmer spell, the Met Office does not classify the conditions as an “official heatwave”. A statement on their website says: “It only counts as an official heatwave if temperatures meet or exceed specific thresholds set for each UK county, for at least three consecutive days, so not every brief spell of hot weather qualifies.”
The uptick in temperatures follows an unseasonably mild March, which provisional Met Office figures rank as the 10th warmest on record. Wales recorded its joint fourth warmest and England its joint sixth warmest March since 2017.
Commenting on the provisional figures, Met Office Scientist, Dr Emily Carlisle, said: “March has delivered some notably warm weather for England and Wales in particular, alongside plenty of sunshine and near-average rainfall overall.
“While those milder conditions will have stood out for many, the month has still delivered a mix of weather across the UK, including more unsettled spells and even snow for some.
“This variability is entirely typical for March, a month of transition when lingering winter influences can sit alongside the increasing warmth of spring.”
