Enjoy it while it lasts!
IF you haven’t had a chance to bask in this early burst of summer, you’d better be quick.
The sunshine will be fading away today as flashes of thundery showers hit the south of the country.
And by Monday, the heatwave will be just a heartwarming memory, with much cooler weather taking hold.
Temperatures today could still go above 26C (79F) in the South East, and there is a chance tomorrow’s London Marathon will be the hottest on record.
But a weather front is moving across the country that will send temperatures plunging by around 10C – back to the average for this time of year.
Met Office forecaster John West said: ‘The high pressure that has made it fine, settled and very warm is giving way to more changeable conditions. By Monday, it will be noticeably cooler and fresher – back to normal spring time weather.’ Today is unlikely to be as warm as last Thursday, when 29.1C (84.3F) was recorded in St James’s Park, London – the hottest April day since 1949.
Elsewhere, temperatures of 22C (73F) will be likely in many areas including North Devon, Cornwall, and Manchester.
For some areas, today could turn out warmer than yesterday, when parts of Cumbria shivered through a rather chilly 15C (59F). But bands of thundery showers are gathering, initially moving into the South West, and travelling northeastwards. A second band could hit London and the South East.
Mr West said tomorrow morning could still see some rain clearing, just in time for the London Marathon. He added: ‘The record temperature for the London Marathon was 22.7C (72.9F, recorded in 1996) and we have 22C (72F) forecast in London, so it’s marginal as to whether the record is beaten.’ Elsewhere, tomorrow will be a mostly fine day but temperatures will fall closer to the seasonal average of 14C (57F).
Monday will offer sunshine and showers and Tuesday will be more settled before blustery showers move in on Wednesday.
Mr West said the end of the warm spell will be a relief for hay fever sufferers and those with asthma. They have faced a double whammy of high pollen counts and rising pollution during the heatwave. The warm spell, however, has been good news for retailers, with Argos reporting a sales boom in paddling pools, water toys and barbecues. Today, around 50,000 beachgoers are expected in Brighton with 25,000 at Bournemouth and 25,000 at Blackpool.