New weather maps from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) indicate that temperatures in 28 UK counties could reach 20C or above on 29 April, with some areas potentially hitting 23C.
The surge in warmth is expected to be most pronounced in the south-east of England and along the south coast, but balmy conditions are also forecast for East Anglia, the Midlands and parts of Wales. Further north, Northern Ireland and southern Scotland could see highs of 18C, while the Scottish Highlands may reach 16C.
The Met Office has noted that high pressure may dominate before the end of the month, but its long-range forecast for 21-30 April also mentions the possibility of unseasonable snow. The forecast states: “High pressure to the north of the UK will bring plenty of dry weather and sunny spells at first. A few scattered showers are possible in central and eastern areas.”
It adds: “By the weekend, unsettled weather is signalled to return, but confidence in the details is low with a range of scenarios possible. One scenario is for a northerly wind bringing wintry showers to northern and eastern coasts, and some snow over Scottish mountains. If this does occur it will probably not last more than a few days, before high pressure attempts to return towards the end of the month.”
