UK weather: Highs of 28C predicted for final weekend of 'sunniest Spring'

29 May 2020, 19:13

Britain is set to end the sunniest Spring on records with scorching temperatures, with temperatures predicted to hit 28C in some areas.

Britain is set to end May with a sunny weekend, with the Met Office predicting sunshine across the UK.

It follows the Government announcing significant changes to the coronavirus lockdown measures which were introduced on March 23 in order to combat the spread of the virus.

However, these rules do not come into place until Monday, and do not apply to this weekend. These rules also only apply to England.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: "There will be high temperatures of up to 28C, it's just short of the highest temperature for the UK this year, which was 28.2C in Scotland.

"It will be similar tomorrow with 28C across Scotland and similar temperatures across England and Wales.

"It's likely to hit 26C or 27C, especially in Western England and Wales.

He continued: "These temperatures are due to southernly winds and high pressure dominating from the continent.

"But thing will be turning cooler next week, initially in the North. It could be ten degrees cooler by next weekend, with a chance of some rain as it turns cooler."

The government rules this weekend still do not allow visits friends and family in their homes, exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, swimming in a public pool, using an outdoor gyms or playgrounds, visiting a private or ticketed attraction.

Gatherings in groups of more than two excluding members of your own household are still not allowed, except for a few specific exceptions set out in law.

Currently, people can spend time outdoors – for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathingmeet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines.

Outdoor exercise is allowed as often as you wish, again following social distancing guidelines.

People can use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course with members of their own household, or one other person while staying 2 metres apart.

If you are showing coronavirus symptoms, or if you or any of your household are self-isolating, you must stay at home.

Southend beach packed as temperatures soar

It is also set to be the driest May for 124 years, with official figures on rainfall to be published on Monday.

The Met Office recorded more than 573 hours of sunshine this spring so far between March 1 and May 27, beating the previous record of 555.3 hours in 1948.

The sunny weather is set to continue until the end of the month, with temperatures forecast to reach highs of 25C in some parts of the UK this weekend.

With the public allowed to spend time outdoors for reasons other than exercise during the lockdown from May 13, many have flocked to the beach and parks to bask in the sunshine.

This month has also seen little rainfall, with Northamptonshire - the driest county so far - recording only 1.5mm of rain during May.

As a result, many farmers have seen some cereal crops already suffering from the dry spell.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) said: "Continued low rainfall and high temperatures into the summer will result in more widespread impacts for agriculture and the environment."

It continued: "The situation is becoming increasingly serious for the growth of rain-fed grass and cereal crops across the country, made worse by the wet winter that led to the planting of more spring crops which are now struggling because of falling soil moisture levels."

It comes after the Met Office recorded the wettest February on record, as heavy rainfall from Storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge caused flooding in many parts of England and Wales.

Dr Mark McCarthy, from the Met Office's national climate information centre, said: "Spring 2020 has been very dry, and May in parts of England has been exceptionally dry.

"As it stands up to May 27, for England, May 2020 is the driest May on record since 1896, with less than 10mm rain falling across England on average."

Despite the drier conditions, there are no plans for hosepipe bans, with the Environment Agency (EA) stating on Thursday that most water companies have "appropriate" water reserves.

An EA spokesman said: "We work closely with all water companies throughout the year to ensure their drought plans are up to date and activated as needed."

The Met Office said there have been only nine UK springs recording more than 500 hours of sunshine since records began.