TEN DAYS OF SUN ON WAY
Temperatures to rise this week as summer arrives
BRITAIN is set to enjoy a blast of summer with 10 days of blazing sunshine, blue skies and temperatures in the 80s.
Steamy continental winds could make it feel close to 86F (30C) in parts of the country towards the Bank Holiday weekend, experts said.
The UK is on course to be hotter than Ibiza, the Greek island of Corfu and Barcelona as grey skies, rain and chilly temperatures are replaced by a flaming start to summer.
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said 86F is likely in parts of the country during the start of summer.
He said: “From this week things are looking like hotting up for most of the country as an extended period of dry and warm weather develops.
“This is also likely to extend into the start of the meteorological summer and temperatures
could be not far away from 30C within the coming weeks, particularly in the South.”
Weather forecasting models show with humidity flooding in from the Continent, parts of the UK could feel close to 86F by Wednesday.
The Met Office predicted largely warm, dry weather with thermometers rocketing through the week as high pressure dominates.
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: “The main focus for the warm weather this week will be in the South. The South-east could reach 77F or even 80.6F or 82F in one or two spots dependent on how much sunshine we get.
“Warm air is coming in from the South, initially from the Continent before turning to a more Atlantic flow bringing tropical maritime air.
“We are likely to hang on to this weather certainly into next weekend, however, as is typical with Bank Holidays, it then looks a bit uncertain on Monday.”
Strongest
The Met Office’s 30-day long-range outlook suggests warm, dry weather will persist until the start of June.
It warns of some wind and rain in parts towards the end of May although clear skies and sunshine will keep temperatures up.
It states: “High pressure will bring mostly dry weather across the UK with some warm perhaps even very warm sunshine developing, although some showery rain is possible at times in the far north.
“The generally dry and warm spell should last into the start of the Bank Holiday weekend, however later and thereafter through the beginning of June conditions are likely to turn more unsettled.
“This will bring a greater risk of showery rain and stronger winds over many parts.
“Temperatures will return closer to normal by the end of the month, although in any sunshine it will still become rather warm.” The good weather comes as the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show prepares to open its gates to thousands of gardeners this week. Celebrities and members of the Royal Family are set to get the first glimpse of this year’s sell-out show today before the event opens to the public tomorrow.
The displays include a Chengdu Silk Road Garden, with huge multi-coloured sculptural fins representing a Chinese mountain range, and a Bermuda Triangle exhibit with an “erupting” volcano.
Giant Maltese limestone pillars are a feature of the M&G Garden, which will also include some unusual plants unique to Malta.
Light-emitting concrete, with 800,000 fibre optic cords, features in a multi-tiered “City Living” garden and a transparent wall made with metallic rods, which is as high as a doubledecker bus, will also be on display
Five BBC Radio 2 Feel Good gardens will explore how plants can enrich and indulge each of the five senses – touch, taste, smell, sight and sound – and celebrate the radio channel’s 50th anniversary, with each garden named after a presenter.
PUT the brolly away. Hang up your raincoat. Whisper it but the weatherman says there are 10 days of sunny weather on the way. Who knows, maybe summer is almost here after all.
And it can’t come a moment too soon…