UK weather: Temperatures to reach 24C next week as Boris Johnson urges UK to stick to lockdown rules

England’s chief nursing officer also encourages people to stay at home despite warmer spell

Britain could see temperatures reach 24C next week as the warm weekend weather looks set to continue – prompting Boris Johnson to urge the public to resist temptation and abide by lockdown rules.

On Saturday, the Met Office predicts highs of around 17C and plenty of dry and bright weather, particularly in England and Wales.

The south and the east will see the best of the sunshine, while rain will fall in parts of northern Scotland.

Helen Roberts, a meteorologist at the Met Office, told The Independent that temperatures were likely to rise on Sunday: “Tomorrow is looking like a really warm day – lots of sunshine around after a clear night tonight.”

In the southeast of England, temperatures may reach 21C on Sunday. ​

Ms Roberts added: “After a slight dip in temperatures on Monday, they’ll start to climb again by the middle part of the week – possibly even higher than Sunday’s temperatures by Wednesday or Thursday. We could be up towards 23 or 24C.”

The improved weather has led key officials to tell the public to resist temptation and to continue following the government’s coronavirus guidelines.

Boris Johnson, who still remains in self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, released a video on social media in which he urged people to obey the rules even if they feel “a bit stir crazy”.

In the video posted on Twitter, he said: “I reckon a lot of people will be starting to think that this is all going on for quite a long time and would rather be getting out there, particularly if you’ve got kids in the household, everybody may be getting a bit stir crazy, and there may be just a temptation to get out there, hang out and start to break the regulations.”

This sentiment has also been echoed by other senior officials.

Ruth May, England’s chief nursing officer, said on Friday at the Downing Street press conference: “This weekend is going to be very warm and it will be very tempting to go out and enjoy those summer rays.”

Referring to two nurses who died after contracting coronavirus, she added: “But please, I ask you to remember Aimee and Areema. Please stay at home for them.”

Ms May paid tribute to the nurses Areema Nasreen and Aimee O’Rourke, both mothers of three children, and warned that there will be more deaths.

It was also reported on Friday that two healthcare assistants had died as a result of the disease.