Hunting for Easter eggs? Wrap up warm!

And it’s bad news for hayfever sufferers too

WITH the sun shining and temperatures of up to 25C (77F), many could have been fooled that summer had somehow started last weekend.

But put those sunglasses away – forecasters say the unseasonably warm weather is no more.

The Met Office predicts a cold snap just in time for those Easter weekend walks and egg hunts, with chilly daytime temperatures and even some overnight frosts by the middle of next week.

There’s also bad news for hayfever sufferers, who have been warned that, despite the cooler conditions next week, pollen levels are ready to peak early because of the recent hot weather.

Following a gloriously sunny weekend last week, Easter looks set to be a drizzly affair with a brisk breeze making it feel colder.

Across the country, temperatures this weekend are forecast to reach no higher than the early teens and could even drop to as low as freezing in the North.

Forecasters have predicted changeable weather for most parts today, though there may well be some sunshine peeking through the clouds now and again, particularly in the South.

But make sure to take an umbrella on any bank holiday walks further north, as outbreaks of rain are likely. Tomorrow will also see mixed weather across the country. The south of England will see the best of the sun, remaining fairly dry with only a few showers, as more showers hit central areas and the North.

Monday will be a cold and wetter affair all over, with scatterings of showers expected across the country and temperatures likely to remain in single figures. Met Office forecaster Emma Boorman said: ‘In contrast to last week’s warm weather it is going to feel noticeably cooler as we return to more spring-like temperatures.

‘There will be a cold feel throughout the weekend and into next week, with temperatures across the country being a little lower than average in the low teens. Around mid-week we could see some cold nights and even some overnight frosts, with temperatures getting down to -2C (28F) or -3C (29F) in rural areas.

‘After that, temperatures are likely to bounce around the seasonal norm, 10-13C (50-55F).’

Around a quarter of Britain’s 18million hayfever sufferers are allergic to pollen from birch trees, which is normally released into the air from mid-April and reaches its peak in early May.

But this year record warm weather has brought the season forward by around ten days.

Dr Jean Emberlin, of the charity Allergy UK, said: ‘The Easter weekend will be the peak of the birch pollen season in the South and the Midlands; the North will probably see a peak next week.’

If hayfever hits, it could make the Easter getaway dangerous for drivers. The condition causes watery eyes and more than one in ten motorists admit having blurred vision from hayfever while driving, a survey by Opticrom Allergy found.

Dr Emberlin warned that most GP surgeries will be shut over the holiday so those with symptoms should visit a pharmacist for eye drops or antihistamines.