Britain to Outshine Barcelona as Temperatures Soar to 18C This Week
The warm start to spring is set to continue across the United Kingdom, with sunny skies and temperatures potentially hitting 18C in southern regions. This could make parts of Britain hotter than Barcelona, Spain, which is expecting highs of only 16C and rain on Thursday.
Record-Breaking Heat on the Horizon
Last week, temperatures reached 18.7C in Kew Gardens, marking the hottest day of the year so far. However, forecasters predict that Thursday could surpass this, with highs of 18C anticipated across the south of England. High pressure will build throughout the week, leading to a rise to 15C on Wednesday and peaking at 18C on Thursday.
This warm spell will be short-lived, as a slight drop in temperature is expected by Friday, with highs of 12C in London and 9C in Manchester. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for fog across Norfolk and Suffolk until 10am on Wednesday, cautioning that dense patches could reduce visibility to 100 metres or below.
Aftermath of a Record-Wet Winter
The sunny weather comes after a particularly wet winter, with provisional figures from the Met Office revealing it was the wettest on record for Cornwall, Leicestershire, and the West Midlands. Dorset and Warwickshire experienced their second wettest winter since comparable records began in 1836, while southern England had its fourth wettest.
This persistent rainfall was driven by a series of low-pressure systems moving across the UK from the Atlantic, resulting in repeated outbreaks of wet and windy conditions. Three named storms in January – Goretti, Ingrid, and Chandra – brought heavy downpours to many areas, leading to flooding and widespread travel disruption. Although rain continued for much of February, drier and sunnier conditions arrived towards the end of the month.
Detailed Weather Forecast for the Next Five Days
Today: Rather cloudy across Scotland and Northern Ireland with some patchy rain. Elsewhere, early mist, fog, and low cloud will gradually clear, leaving a fine day with sunny spells. It will feel warmer than Tuesday, especially in the sunshine.
Tonight: Remaining cloudy across Scotland and Northern Ireland, with rain becoming more persistent later. Dry elsewhere, with some patchy low cloud and hill fog developing. A milder night for most.
Thursday: Rain across the northwest will make slow progress southeastwards during Thursday. Much of England and Wales will remain dry with the sunniest skies in the east. It will feel warm away from the northwest.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday: Largely dry and bright in the north on Friday and Saturday. Otherwise, often cloudy, with some outbreaks of rain, particularly in the south on Friday and west on Sunday.
