Springlike weather ahead with forecast temperatures up to 16C
Daffodils have started to bloom in some parts of the UK
- Published
For some of us in the coming days it will feel like spring really is just around the corner.
Not only are daylight hours increasing rapidly at around 4 or 5 minutes a day, but temperatures are also set to rise.
Milder south-westerly winds from the Atlantic will bring temperatures into the teens this weekend and then up to the mid-teens for some next week.
While it might be milder there will still be quite a lot of cloud with rain at times.
How high could temperatures get?
After the cold, wet and rather miserable weather we've experienced so far this year this blast of milder air will feel like a welcome relief.
Recent weeks have seen temperatures typically in the mid-single figures by day and as low as minus 9C (16F) in Scotland at night.
It has felt even colder in strong east or north-easterly winds at times.
A switch in wind direction will see temperatures rising up to 10-14 Celsius (50-57F) in many parts of the country over the weekend.
Then into next week they may creep up a bit higher with forecasts suggesting Tuesday and Wednesday might see 15 or 16C (59-61F) in some central and south-eastern areas of the UK.
A selection of the highest temperatures forecast across the four nations of the UK on Tuesday and Wednesday
The last time 15C was recorded in the UK was on 13 December with 15.1C (59.2F) recorded on the north coast of Scotland. More widely we'd need to go back to 9 December.
The temperatures we will see next week will be around 4 to 6C above the average for the end of February.
While staying mostly cloudy, there will be some brighter or sunnier spells. And that might make it feel warm and even spring-like.
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Flooding remains a concern
Some areas such as this field in Staffordshire are still waterlogged after the very wet February we've had so far.
While not as cold, the predominant south-westerly winds over the next few weeks will bring in spells of rain and areas of low pressure from time to time.
The wettest weather is expected to be over western hills. That means a change of fortune in Scotland, where up to now it has been extremely wet in eastern Scotland but drier than normal in the west of the country.
The recent snowfall will also melt rapidly as temperatures rise.
Given the saturated ground in many parts of the UK, the risk of flooding will remain a concern well in to March.
- Published2 days ago
