According to the Met Office, the UK is indeed experiencing a warmer-than-average April and, when a full record can be established in May, it is “highly likely” to rank in their top 10.
She said the warm weather is being driven by high pressure just to the east of the UK which is driving in relatively warm air from the near continent and Scandinavia.
With temperatures expected to reach 28°C next week, it will certainly feel significantly warmer than usual for the UK, but there will be a way to go to top the Met Office’s current record.
“Our all-time highest temperature recorded in April was 29.4°C at Camden Square in London on 16 April 1949,” says Ms Hutin.
Tourists and locals thronged the Royal Mile as Edinburgh and many parts of Scotland enjoyed fine spring sunshine (Photo credit: Ken Jack/Getty Images)
Monday is likely to be the hottest day of the year so far, which currently is April 24 when it hit 24°C, then each day could break the record again until the peak, Mr Snell said.
“For a lot of the UK it’s going to be largely sunny.”
Fairer weather takes hold, building to a peak on Wednesday and Thursday when temperatures are expected to reach 27°C in London and the South East.
There is a small chance of seeing 29°C, the forecaster said.
Risk of wildfires
A particularly dry March, followed by warmer-than-average temperatures in April, caused significant wildfires across the UK.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has urged the public to be extra vigilant and careful including not using disposable barbecues in open countryside, parks and moorland areas, and not throwing away cigarettes, matches or even glass bottles that could set fire to dry vegetation.
Over the Easter weekend, the NFCC issued an alert that fire and rescue services in England and Wales have responded to 380 wildfires so far this year – more than double the number for the same period in 2022, which went on to be a record year for wildfires.
In late March, more than a dozen fire crews tackled a moorland blaze measuring an area of 6 miles (10km) by 3 miles (5km) in a similar area.
What is a heatwave?
by Madeleine Cuff and Sam Rucker
The Met Office defines a heatwave as at least three consecutive days of temperatures above what would normally be expected from that time of the year. The threshold is different for each county, depending on where they are in the country, and it is usually accompanied by high humidity.
In London, temperatures must breach 28C for three days in a row to count as a heatwave. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, temperatures need to remain above 26C.
Generally speaking, the threshold is higher in the South East, with the minimum value being 25C in parts of Wales, the Midlands and the South West.
While heatwaves are most common in the summer, which sees slow-moving, high-pressure systems remain over an area for an extended period, they can also occur in other parts of the year as well.
High pressure can often develop over the country because the UK is centred below a jet stream, resulting in persistent dry and settled weather.
The Met Office’s advice for warm weather is to stay hydrated and avoid long periods in direct sunlight between 11am to 3pm, wearing a high-factor SPF sunscreen if that is unavoidable, as there will be moderate to high UV levels in the coming days.
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