Today is shaping up to be the hottest day of the year so far, with high temperatures expected to reach 25C in the south this afternoon.
The Met Office is forecasting high temperatures of 25C today in London, with forecasters predicting the mercury could reach 27C in the south over the weekend.
Southern England will see highs of 25C (77F) today, with temperatures reaching 26C (78.8F) on Saturday and up to 27C (80.6F) on Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Britons flocked to the seaside yesterday to bask in the 23C heat, while sunseekers flocked to beaches up and down the coast.
But the good weather is not expected to last, with Met Office forecasters warning that thunder is on the way next week, with “heavy and stormy” rain and showers expected to sweep across the country.
BOURNEMOUTH: Corin Jones and her sons Beauden, five (left) and Sully, two (right), search for shells along the beach today as the UK experiences the start of a sunny spell
NORTHUMBERLAND: Walkers near Bamburgh Castle take advantage of the weather for a walk
SWANAGE: Locals bask in the sun near Dorset beach huts today
SWANAGE: People are pictured enjoying the sunshine along Dorset’s seafront today
SUSSEX: A couple hold hands as they stroll in the sunshine today in the town of Rye
LONDON: Today is shaping up to be the hottest day of the year so far with 25°C heat hitting London. So joggers took to the park early in south-east London this morning.
SWANAGE: Locals sit by the seaside in Dorset to watch the boats this morning in the sunshine
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tony Wisson said: “Many places will start nice and warm on Sunday, although it is likely to become cloudier from the west or southwest during the day.
“This will be accompanied by scattered showers, which could be heavy with thunder.
“On Monday we are likely to see more widespread and longer lasting spells of rain, some of which will be heavy and stormy.
“It will also make the day feel much fresher.”
Hot weather causes increased UV levels.
Weather conditions are expected to become more unstable again over the next week.
SWANAGE: Sunseekers lounge on Dorset beach today as the UK prepares to soak up the sun
The forecaster said there would be high temperatures of 25C today, as shown in the map above.
Temperatures could reach 26C in the south this weekend, the Met Office said.
Due to the summery weather over the next few days, the Met Office has warned those enjoying the sun to remember to wear sunscreen. In the photo, the predicted maximum of 26°C
Rain and showers will begin to arrive from the west, due to the development of a low pressure system coming from the Atlantic.
If temperatures reach 27C on Saturday, it will make it the hottest day of the year so far.
The hottest day on record was recorded on April 12, with 21.5°C measured in central London.
April 2024 was warmer than any previous April since 1940, according to Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service.
Rising air temperatures around the world are due to both record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the weather phenomenon known as El Niño.
SWANAGE: Boats in the bay basking in the sun today as the sun rises in Dorset
SUSSEX: Residents are enjoying the sunny weather in the East Sussex town of Rye today
SWANAGE: Blue skies and calm seas at Swanage Bay in Dorset this morning
NEWQUAY: People were surfing in the spring sunshine at Fistral Beach yesterday
SWANAGE: Today is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far, with sunny scenes this morning
Global temperatures typically rise during an El Niño event, as warmer water spreads further and stays closer to the surface, releasing more heat into the atmosphere, creating wetter, warmer air .
The surface air temperature for the month was 15.03°C, 0.67°C above the April 1991-2020 average and 0.14°C above the previous established high in April 2016.
Last year, temperatures reached 33.5C on September 10 in Kent, the hottest day.