That’s better...Britain set to hit 70F
GRAB that sun lotion – a blast of warmth from the Continent will see the mercury soar to 70F (21C) this week.
The Met Office said a change in the weather over the coming days will pull hotter air in from Europe.
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said thermometers will touch 64.4F in the South today and tomorrow with 59F likely further north.
He said: “We could see temperatures of up to 68F or even 70F virtually anywhere by Wednesday or Thursday.”
Met Office meteorologist Martin Bowles said the mercury will have risen across most of Britain by Wednesday.
He said: “It is certainly going to turn warmer compared to last week with temperatures increasing through the week.
“Monday will be cloudy in the South-east where temperatures will be a bit down on Sunday before the whole country starts to turn brighter on Tuesday. Temperatures will gradually rise with Wednesday looking like a very nice day with widespread sunshine and feeling milder everywhere apart from Scotland.
“Warm air will arrive from the Continent and this will make it feel much milder in most places.”
But the prolonged spell of dry weather has raised fears of a hosepipe ban as rivers and reservoirs across the country reach low levels.
The prospect of a summer drought follows one of the driest winters in 20 years.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at Seathwaite, in the heart of Cumbria’s Lake District, where the River Derwent is bone dry despite it being one of England’s wettest places. Annual rainfall usually exceeds 79in in the area.