Temperatures to jump up to 20C as spring finally arrives after miserable rainfall

It's been a long time coming, but spring finally arrives this week after a miserable March and early April.

Today, tomorrow and Wednesday should be fine days in most parts of the country with long spells of sun.

Eastern and South-East England will get the best of the sunshine while temperatures could reach 16C in Wales and 17C in Northern Ireland.

But lingering cloud near North Sea coastal areas and in parts of the West could bring a few showers.

And forecasters poured cold water on hopes for a scorching heatwave.

Weather forecasters predict a largely sunny week and an end to recent heavy rain (Alex Lentati/LNP)

ITV Weather presenter Philippa Drew said: “There’s good confidence in the forecast for something drier, brighter and warmer.

“It looks as though afternoon temperatures should be comfortably into the mid perhaps high-teens. Locally we could even creep towards 20C.

“But it does come with caveats... spring months are notorious for large diurnal variations – the difference between overnight minimums and daytime maximums. With that in mind early mornings will be on the chilly side and the east coast will struggle with an easterly breeze.

"So heatwave, not quite, but a lot more settled.”