UK weather: Temperatures to soar to 20C on first official day of spring this week

Britons to enjoy temperatures hotter than Ibiza and Corfu on Thursday

Parts of the UK will see temperatures soar up to 20C on the first official day of spring this week, the Met Office has forecast.

Britons in southeast England, the Midlands and parts of Wales are expected to be basking in temperatures hotter than Corfu or Ibiza on Thursday.

The warm weather coincides with the spring equinox, which is considered to be the official first day of the new season.

Temperatures will be highest in the capital, where highs of 20C have been forecasted on Thursday afternoon.

Southeast England is predicted to enjoy the warmest weather on Wednesday and Thursday (PA Wire)

Towns and cities such as Cambridge, Hereford, Bristol, Aberystwyth and Caernarfon will also see temperatures reach 20C.

Cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield will also see some sunshine, with highs of 19C, 18C and 17C respectively.

The heat will be relatively short-lived however, as temperatures are expected to drop again from Friday.

Met Office meteorologist and presenter Alex Deakin said: “Temperatures will continue to rise this week with high pressure firmly in charge. This means many places will see a fair amount of spring sunshine.

Towns and cities such as Cambridge, Hereford, Bristol, Aberystwyth and Caernarfon will see temperatures reach 20C (James Manning/PA Wire)

“Thursday looks to be the warmest day of the week, with temperatures into the late teens for many, possibly even reaching up to 20C across the southeast, which would be the first time we’ve seen those temperatures this year.

“We will start to see a change as we head into the weekend though, with conditions turning more unsettled from as early as Friday.”

But first, Britons will also have to bear through days of more consistently chillier weather until the first day of spring.

Tuesday is expected to be a “cold and frosty day” with temperatures only reaching 13C in some areas.

Things will begin to turn on Wednesday, with the weather “feeling much warmer” than Tuesday, before a “fine and warm day” on Thursday.

Here is the Met Office’s full five-day forecast:

Tuesday:

A cold and frosty start for many will lead to a dry day with plenty of sunshine. Northern Ireland however will start rather cloudy but skies will brighten up throughout the day. Breezy, especially in the south and west.

Wednesday:

A fine and dry day with plenty of sunshine, although some cloud across the south will make the sunshine occasionally hazy. Feeling much warmer than Tuesday, especially in East Anglia.

Thursday to Saturday:

Another fine and warm day on Thursday. Turning unsettled from the south on Friday, with outbreaks of rain for many by Saturday. Warm initially, but temperatures returning to near average.