Fresh weather maps indicate that the UK is set to bask in temperatures as high as 23°C on May 1, with the warm spell expected to continue into early May. According to data from WXCharts, the hottest conditions will be centred on London and parts of the East of England, including Norwich and the North Norfolk Coast.
Temperatures of 21-22°C are forecast for Kent, Southend-on-Sea, Cambridge, Colchester, Ipswich and Margate. The Met Office's long-range forecast for April 30 to May 9 suggests high pressure will bring dry, sunny weather initially, but conditions may become more changeable later with an increased chance of rain and strong winds.
The Met Office noted that fine and sunny weather will dominate over the next few days as warm air is drawn northwards, with highs in the low to mid-20s expected widely across England and Wales. Some sheltered areas, including parts of northwest Wales, could reach 24°C or even 25°C.
This follows an exceptionally mild spring, with a peak of 26.6°C recorded at Kew Gardens in London on April 8, the hottest day of the year so far. The highest April temperature on record remains 29.4°C in London in 1949.
