UK April heat to hit 26°C before a sharp cold snap
The UK is on course to be hotter than Ibiza today (Tuesday, April 7), with western parts of Wales expected to see highs of 24°C.
Much of the rest of the country will bask in highs of between 18°C and 23°C, though the east coast of England and Scotland faces cooler temperatures, with the mercury unlikely to pass the mid-teens, News.Az reports, citing TheSun.
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst described the weather as “unusually warm” for the time of year, adding: “The average temperature should be around 15°C.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
“The wind is coming in from a southerly direction, and with not many clouds around, it should be well above the early April average.
“The last time we saw similar temperatures this time of year was in 2020, when we reached 26°C in Cornwall.”
Wednesday, April 8, could be even warmer, with highs of 26°C expected in some areas.
This would make it the warmest start to April in six years, surpassing last week’s peak of 20.9°C recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire.
As a result of the warmer weather, there is also a “very high” red pollen warning in place across England and Wales for around a week.
Brits have been warned to make the most of it, however.
The Met Office has flagged a “big change” on Thursday, April 9, with temperatures expected to drop sharply.
They are expected to go back down to between 10°C and 13°C, and as low as 7°C in northern parts including Scotland and Cumbria.
A Met Office spokesperson said: “For the next couple of days we’re dragging in that warm, southerly wind, which will allow us to see temperatures reach the mid-20s.
“As we go into Thursday, we’ll see temperatures return to normal for the time of year as we see the weather turn more changeable with advances of rain and showers.”
Why is record warm weather predicted for 2026?
This week’s warmth is not happening in isolation.
The wider picture is one of a world that keeps getting hotter, and 2026 is shaping up to be another landmark year.
The Met Office has forecast that 2026 will be one of the four warmest years on record globally, with an estimate of 1.46°C above pre-industrial levels.
Professor Adam Scaife, who leads the team behind the global forecast, said: “The last three years are all likely to have exceeded 1.4°C and we expect 2026 will be the fourth year in succession to do this.
“Prior to this surge, the previous global temperature had not exceeded 1.3°C.”
Dr Nick Dunstone of the Met Office added: “2024 saw the first temporary exceedance of 1.5°C, and our forecast for 2026 suggests this is possible again.
“This highlights how rapidly we are now approaching the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target.”
Last year was already a double record-breaker for the UK.
It was confirmed by the Met Office as both the warmest and sunniest year on record, with a mean temperature of 10.09°C.
By Leyla Şirinova
Similar news
