The Met Office has clarified that while temperatures recently topped 20°C in parts of England, a technical heatwave is unlikely before late May or June. A meteorological heatwave requires three consecutive days of at least 28°C in southern England, a threshold not expected soon.
This weekend will bring pleasant weather, with highs of 16-17°C in the Midlands, south Wales, and southwest England. However, temperatures will drop to near freezing in parts of North Yorkshire and County Durham by Thursday, a stark contrast to the recent warmth.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon stated: 'It could be May into June that we meet the heatwave threshold as there's nothing to indicate it sooner.' He added that high pressure will return for the weekend, bringing brighter conditions to southern and western areas.
Even rural Scotland, which saw lows of 2°C in Dumfries and Galloway on Monday, could reach 15°C on Sunday, well above the April average of 10.3°C. The Met Office notes that early May may bring settled conditions to the northwest of the UK.
