Tropical air makes it hotter than Ibiza
JUST ten days ago we were deep in the grip of winter, with freezing temperatures and snow across the country.
But all that felt like a distant memory yesterday as Britain basked in the hottest day of the year so far.
Many ditched their woolly hats and scarves as temperatures soared above 18C (64F).
And those who had decided to flee the cold weather over half term by travelling to sunnier spots may well have been frustrated – since parts of the UK were hotter than France, Italy and southern Spain.
But we should probably avoid gloating too much just yet, as storms could be heading our way later in the week.
Yesterday’s high of 18.3C (65F) was logged at Kew Gardens in West London, where visitors enjoyed temperatures 10C warmer than Milan. In Ali- cante it was 14.8C (57F), Menorca 17.1C (63F) and Ibiza 15.1C (59F), according to forecaster MeteoGroup.
While London enjoyed the mildest weather, other areas remained colder, with temperatures of 13.7C (57F) in Edinburgh, 13.6C (56F) in Exeter and 10C (50F) in Blackpool. Yesterday’s high did not quite beat the hottest February temperature on record, which was 19.7C (67F) logged at Greenwich Observatory in south-east London on February 13, 1998.
The Met Office said the unseasonably balmy weather was caused by tropical Atlantic air blowing in.
But a spokesman added: ‘From tomorrow temperatures start dropping – much nearer the average temperature for the time of year.’
Patchy rain is expected in the South this morning, pushing towards the North and West during the day. It is also expected to be windy in the West, with temperatures of up to 15C.
Tomorrow will feel slightly chillier across the country, with highs of around 14C. Northern and western areas will start out rainy, but it will turn drier later.
However, heavy rain is expected to return tomorrow night as a storm moves in from the West, bringing a risk of strong winds.
The worst of the weather is set to hit on Thursday, with winds reaching speeds of up to 70mph across large parts of England and Wales. It will also be cooler still, with highs of 13C predicted in the South and just 9C in the North, before the storm eventually moves away in the evening.
‘Unseasonably balmy weather’