Warm weather set to last for another week
BRITAIN will bake in glorious spring weather for another week after the hottest March day for five years.
Sunshine and blue skies pushed temperatures up to 71.8F (22C) yesterday, making it the warmest day of the year.
Temperatures rocketed more than 18F higher than normal thanks to a blast of tropical air from the South.
Further warm weather is forecast although parts of the country will turn wet this weekend.
The Met Office said last night was likely to be the hottest March night on record with the mercury expected to hover around 54F in parts.
Settled
Yesterday’s hottest spot was Gravesend in Kent, with similar highs recorded across southern England.
Forecasters predict above-average temperatures through the weekend and into next week with more fine, dry weather on the way.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said London and the Southeast can expect 63F or 64F over the next few days, with highs of 59F further north.
“Although it will be a little bit cooler than Thursday, temperatures will remain above average on Friday and over the weekend,” she said. “Saturday will see more widespread rain with some locally heavy showers but there will be sunny spells before Sunday turns more settled.
“Monday is looking warm again with just the chance of rain in the North but it will turn settled again towards the middle of next week due to high pressure.
“Generally it is going to be mild into the weekend and into next week.”
The summer-like weather has raised hopes for a warm and sunny Easter weekend which this year falls on April 15 and 16.
As Britain basked in glorious sunshine, bookies yesterday took the axe to odds on Easter weather records tumbling. Early long-range forecasts suggest warm weather may continue into the middle of April with the Met Office predicting higher than normal temperatures.
Ladbrokes slashed the odds on the warmest Easter on record from 6-1 to 4-1 with 2-1 on temperatures hitting 68F next week.
Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: “The British public needn’t worry about April showers as the odds suggest the temperatures will keep soaring.”