Heatwave forecast before skies fade to grey for Easter
THE first steps towards lifting lockdown, with garden gatherings of six possible, is placing greater emphasis than normal on the weather as we approach Easter.
And the news is mixed. The wintry sleet and snow seen over the past couple of days in some hilly areas to the north of the country will disappear by early next week. Midweek may even see an upturn that could produce the highest spring temperatures yet this year in some places.
But the Easter weekend itself is in the balance. The wind and rain off the Atlantic that spilled into many northern and western areas at the end of last week may persist for a day or two. Northern Scotland may even see some more snow, but in the south and east, and increasingly over much of the rest of England and Wales, today will see mild air heading in from the south west. Expect 57F (14C) in sheltered eastern parts, 55F (13C) from London to Cardiff and Plymouth, 52F (11C) in Belfast and Liverpool, and 48F (9C) in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Tomorrow will remain cool and unsettled in Scotland and northern England, but in South Wales and across southern England and the Midlands that warm breeze and some sunshine will push temperatures close to – if not beyond – 66F (19C) the warmest yet recorded in 2021.
Enjoy it on Tuesday into Wednesday because after that cold air plunges down from the Arctic, bringing showers and putting a chill on proceedings, especially if you are out in the garden on an Easter egg hunt.
The overall forecast is for a dry(ish) Easter weekend, with temperatures close to the seasonal average of
54F (12C).