Hottest April in almost a decade

SWELTERING temperatures are expected to hit the UK at the end of the week as the hottest April in almost a decade is set to continue.

A sunny Thursday and Friday will see the temperature reach as high as 24C (75.2F) as London will be hotter than Lanzarote and Corfu.

But many of the UK’s beaches and open spaces will be largely empty as Britons are urged to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

Forecasters said the expected heatwave is due to a large area of high pressure to the north of England making the days clear and bright. A weather map showed the giant zone stretching from Scandinavia to Ireland.

Most of the country will bask in the sunshine on both days, with temperatures reaching up to 23C (73.4F) in Wales and south-west England, 18C (64.4F) in Scotland and 19C (66.2F) in Northern Ireland.

This would be well above the average high of 12C (53.6F) in April for the UK and the hottest the UK has been in this month since 2011.

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut odds to 4/5 on this week beating the hottest day of the year so far when 26C (79F) was recorded in Treknow, Cornwall, on April 10.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: “There will be a bit of fog to start the day on Thursday, but that will clear up pretty quickly and there will be bright, warm sunshine across the whole UK.

“This will be the same for Friday, which could be hotter in some areas.

“This is because of a large area of high pressure that is hanging north of the UK. It also helps that there has been consecutive days of clear, hot days that have kept it going.”