UK to be hotter than Athens on Easter Sunday as temperatures hit 18C

Britain to have cloudy start to Easter Sunday before sunshine in most areas

People enjoy the warm weather and sunshine on New Brighton beach (Getty Images)

The UK is set to bask in glorious sunshine on Easter Sunday as temperatures reach as high as 18C.

The balmy spring temperatures will make the country hotter than Greece’s capital Athens, which is expected to reach a peak of 17C.

Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said people can expect “hazy sunshine” on Sunday afternoon due to weather fronts pushing their way in from the Atlantic.

It will be a cloudy start to the day in the eastern part of the UK, with the possibility of some mist in the early hours, but a strong breeze should clear it as the day progresses, the forecaster said.

Most of the country will be sunshine in the afternoon and the chance of downpours interrupting Easter egg hunts is minimal.

He added: “Temperatures are actually up to where we have seen them on Saturday, so highs of 15C in the central belt and maybe pushing towards 18C in some other areas as well.”

There is an 80 per cent chance temperatures will break this year’s countrywide record of 17.8C on Easter Sunday with the forecasted 18C heat, according to the Met Office.

That would set a new record for the warmest day of 2023 so far, beating the current highest temperature of 17.8C on March 30 in the village of Santon Downham, Suffolk.

It comes after the UK saw temperatures hotter than Rome (12C), Marseilles (14C) and Monaco (15C) on Saturday.

Britons should try and enjoy the sunshine on Sunday as larges swathes of the country will be hit by downpours on a wet and miserable Monday morning.

The rain is expected to clear later in the day and there will be some sunshine, interspersed with heavy showers and a risk of thunder and hail. Temperatures will reach a high of 16C.

Met Office five-day forecast

Tonight:

Cloud and rain in the west spreading eastwards reaching the far east and southeast of England late in the night. Clearer skies with heavy showers into the west later. Windy.

Monday:

Early cloud and rain over England and Wales clearing. Otherwise sunny spells and blustery showers, heavy at times with a chance of hail and thunder. Windy and cooler than today.

Tuesday to Thursday:

A very windy spell of weather with gales or severe gales likely for a time. Generally unsettled with rain or showers at times, interspersed by brief brighter spells. Feeling cold.