British weather is just about the most unpredictable thing ever – and spring can be particularly random.
Is it jacket weather? Are we about to get blown away or drowned in torrential rain? We can never be certain. When good weather is forecast, it feels a little bit like someone’s pulling our leg.
But suspend your disbelief – the UK is being treated to some serious sunshine next week, with temperatures predicted to reach up to 27C by Wednesday (April 30).
Here’s all the hot goss on next week’s hot spell.
Temperatures are pretty average over the weekend, with highs of around 21C in the south and 17C in the north - good news for both London and Manchester’s marathon runners, who’ll be dry and not too hot as they battle 26.2 miles.
From Monday onwards, the temperature will start to rise to an average of 22-23C, and by Wednesday it’s expected that the Midlands and the south east will be basking in 25-27C heat, perfect conditions for a barbie or a pub garden sesh.
This means lots of us will be treated to the hottest day since last September, and the hottest April day since 2018 (the last time temperatures reached 27C in April).
The mini-heatwave is thanks to a ‘blocked weather pattern’ bringing continental temperatures up from Europe. Normally, weather systems (like high and low pressure areas) move along pretty steadily from west to east thanks to ‘jet streams’ in the atmosphere. But in a blocked pattern, something causes that flow to slow down or stop, kind of like a traffic jam in the sky. That means that temperatures which may pass over the UK quickly will linger longer, meaning more time for tins in the park and frantically stocking up on suncream.
We can’t celebrate too hard though, as blocked weather patterns are on the rise due to climate change (booo). That’s because the jet stream that affects the UK is fuelled by temperature differences between the Arctic and the Tropics. As the Arctic heats up, the jet stream is likely to become weaker, leading to more blocked weather patterns. This is why we can’t have nice things.
It’s worth saying that we’re not entirely sure how long these lush temperatures will stick around. The BBC are predicting the heatwave will be in place until the end of next week, but it’s still pretty early to call, and there could even be showers in the south by next weekend. So, enjoy the beautiful weather while you can!
Thinking of cracking open a cold one with the gang next week? The UK’s ‘Beer of the Year’ has been crowned for 2025.
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