Lockdown may be easing but the hot weather isn’t
FOR many gardeners and farmers the question is, when is it going to rain? In parts of England, it has been the driest spring on record, with just 0.1in (4mm) of rain in the south-eastern corner. Crazy as it sounds after the deluges of January and February, there is already talk of hosepipe bans.
The bad news for those with wilting crops or singed carnations is that for almost all of the UK there is no sign of anything substantial by way of rain until at least the back end of the week.
However, for sun-lovers there is plenty to cheer about as lockdown eases. High pressure remains, bringing bright, hot and dry conditions. Above-average temperatures will carry on into today, though in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which have been hitting the heights, it will dial down a notch or two. Aberdeen will manage 18C (64F), Belfast 21C (70F) and Glasgow 24C (75F).
Further south, the most favoured spots will be in the west, with Wales especially blessed as Cardiff reaches 27C (81F). Over on the east coast, a breeze blowing in off the North Sea – yet to warm up at this time of year – will keep things that bit cooler.
As the week begins, the high pressure will migrate towards Scandinavia, so the hot, dry conditions will remain for most, but north-west Scotland could see more cloud cover.
Another area of high pressure will slot into place over the UK on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing little change, but as the weekend approaches, the wind direction is set to alter, bringing cooler air from the north.
With low pressure to the east and high pressure to the west, some of us may just feel some wet ground under our bare feet by the weekend.