This April is on track to be the one of the driest on record as the warm, sunny weather continues to tease the British public who are urged to stay at home during the ongoing the coronavirus lockdown.
Temperatures are expected to reach up to 24C in the next couple of days, with forecasters predicting “clear blue skies” for Thursday and Friday.
According to meteorologist Luke Miall, temperatures recorded so far in April have been averaging 2.5C above average for the month.
On Wednesday, the highest temperature was recorded at Bournemouth at 22.6C. Elsewhere in England and South Wales, the mercury reached around 20C.
Thursday would see “pretty much clear blue skies across the whole country”, said Mr Miall, with some high level cloud turning the sunshine hazy in the afternoon. Winds will be lighter than they were earlier this week, which means much warmer conditions to enjoy from inside our homes.
Some patches of mist and fog may develop overnight in parts of central and eastern England.
Conditions will be similar on Friday, although some eastern areas will see more cloud in the early morning. Temperatures are expected to rise as high as 22C to 24C in southern England and the south west.
The weekend will be largely dry, sunny and warm in the day, but low cloud and fog may develop overnight and temperatures may drop as low as 8C on Saturday night.
Mr Miall said the lack of rainfall in some areas since the beginning of April means this month is on track to be one of the driest Aprils the UK has seen. He said: “April’s been remarkable warm and remarkably dry so far.”
The UK government is urging people to stay at home and practice social distancing if they do go out for essentials or exercise, as the coronavirus outbreak continues to rage through Europe.
As of Wednesday, 133,495 people have tested positive for coronavirus, with over 18,000 deaths.
Additional reporting by PA
