MET OFFICE PREDICT RED HOT SUMMER ON WAY
BRITAIN is set for a baking 86F (30C) summer, with a heatwave right through to August.
Thermometers are forecast to soar after the weekend with two months of sunshine and blue skies looking likely.
Despite a cool and stormy rest of the week, summer is expected to arrive toward the end of the month.
Experts say the hotter outlook is due in part to the El Nino weather pattern.
The warming in the eastern Pacific has triggered extreme weather around the globe.
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “We will be seeing a quick return to warmer weather thanks to dominant high pressure toward the end of the month. We could see temperatures nudging the 30C mark from the start of summer into June.
“This will then pave the way for a potentially baking summer throughout June and into July.”
The Met Office is also forecasting higher temperatures.
A spokesman said: “For May, June and July above-average temperatures are slightly more probable than below-average temperatures.
“El Nino reached a peak in late 2015 and ranked amongst the strongest on record.”
However, Britain for now is on storm alert with up to half a month’s rainfall forecast in some regions and coastal gales bringing an abrupt halt to the relatively calm spring weather.
Forecasters warn things will turn unsettled tonight with northern and western parts in the firing line.
Low-pressure systems set to move east across the UK will bring heavy showers over the weekend, with Cumbria braced for an inch of rain in the next 36 hours.
The Met Office said winds could hit gale-force on exposed coasts.
Forecaster Alex Burkill said: “It is going to turn unsettled as the week goes on with showers pushing into Wales and parts of England from Tuesday night into Wednesday These will spread eastwards and there could be some heavier bursts with dry spells in between.
“Rain will continue to move eastwards across all parts of the UK on Wednesday and, although Thursday starts more settled, another area of low pressure will come in from the west.
“We could see gales across parts of the North with gusts touching 50mph in exposed regions with heavy bursts of rain turning thundery locally.”
After a warmer day today it will feel cooler as the week goes on with highs of 18C (54F). Netweather said overnight temperatures in the North will hit low single figures with the South struggling to get 10C.