Forecasters say parts of the UK could see temperatures climb as high as 18C this week, with some areas potentially warmer than Barcelona. According to the Met Office, sunny spells are expected throughout the week and into the weekend, offering a marked contrast to the unsettled winter.
Temperatures are forecast to peak on Thursday, reaching between 17C and 18C in the warmest parts of the country, particularly across eastern England. That would bring conditions close to last week’s high of 18.7C recorded at Kew Gardens, the warmest day of the year so far.
In comparison, Barcelona is expected to see rain on Thursday with temperatures hovering between 14C and 15C, while Istanbul is forecast to remain cooler at between 7C and 12C.
Met Office spokesperson Simon Partridge described the outlook as “pretty decent for the time of year”, noting that while it will not be uninterrupted sunshine, many areas will benefit from dry weather, lighter winds and brighter skies.
Thursday will bring a slight split in conditions. While much of the UK will remain dry with sunny intervals, western Scotland and Northern Ireland may experience a greyer, damp day as a slow-moving band of rain edges in from the west.
Overnight into Tuesday, clearer skies and light winds are expected across northern parts of the UK, with widespread frost likely from northern England through Northern Ireland and Scotland. Temperatures could dip to minus 2C or minus 3C in some rural areas.
Daytime conditions on Tuesday will improve, with largely dry weather in the north and the possibility of a few light showers. The south-east is expected to enjoy dry spells and sunshine.
By Wednesday, much of the country will see a mix of sunshine and cloud, with temperatures reaching 14C to 16C. Some light rain and drizzle may affect the far north and west of Scotland and Northern Ireland later in the day.
A further band of rain is forecast to move eastwards overnight into Friday. However, high pressure is expected to build again by the weekend, bringing a return to mostly dry and settled conditions across much of the UK.
After a winter dominated by wet and windy weather, the brighter outlook will come as a welcome relief for many hoping for an early taste of spring.
