BRITAIN could soon face a heatwave with temperatures starting to climb from the weekend onwards, according to the Met Office.
In Brighton and Hove, it will begin to feel very warm from Saturday, with temperatures climbing to 18C.
Meteorologist Marco Petagna said the weather could get “very warm” later this month, peaking around 22C or 23C in the south of England.
“Temperatures are several degrees above where they should be at this time of year,” he said.
Temperatures will reach above 20°C in a few spots over the next few days
— Met Office (@metoffice) May 4, 2022
It's looking much warmer as we head through next week with most parts of the country seeing temperatures above 20°C 🌡️ pic.twitter.com/oahU9bAJJQ
He added there was a “small chance” that temperatures could rise into the mid-twenties, meaning a “brief” heatwave.
It comes after an April that has seen average maximum temperatures generally above normal for the month, with showers proving few and far between.
The UK had around a third less rainfall than its average for the month, according to a Met Office blog, with England and Wales the driest UK nations.
Southern England was particularly dry, the forecaster said, with just 36% of its average rainfall.
The hottest temperature this year was set on Good Friday in St James’ Park, London, where the Met Office recorded a high of 23.4C.
“High pressure has been the prime influence of UK weather in April 2022, bringing with it a good period of calm and settled weather,” Dr Mark McCarthy, of the National Climate Information Centre, said.
April also saw more days of air frost than February – an average of 5.9 days compared to 5.4 days during the second month of the year.
It is only the sixth time April has been frostier than either January of February since 1961.
Below is the Met Office forecast for Brighton and Hove from Friday to Monday:
Friday:
Early morning fog patches soon clearing, leaving a dry and warm day, with sunny spells. Cloud increasing from the northwest through the afternoon, bringing patchy rain for the evening. Maximum temperature 22 °C.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Cloud and rain clearing southeast first thing Saturday to leave a dry and settled period, with light winds and spells of sunshine. Feeling warm.
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