Overview

• The Met Office forecasts temperatures peaking at 28°C on Wednesday and Thursday, marking the warmest April days since 2018.
• Southern England, including London, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Kent, will see the highest temperatures, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will remain cooler in the mid-teens.
• The warm spell is attributed to high-pressure systems drawing warm air from Scandinavia and central Europe, heated further by spring sunshine.
• Climate change is estimated to contribute about 1°C to the already elevated temperatures, though the April record of 29.4°C from 1949 is unlikely to be broken.
• Temperatures will return closer to seasonal averages with more variable weather, including occasional rain, by the weekend and into early May.