Today will see plenty of sunshine and light winds across England and Wales, although a front will stall across the far north of the UK bringing cooler and cloudier conditions there. There will be rain into Northern Ireland too. Temperatures will be quite widely into the high teens, with a maximum of 25°C possible in the southeast.

Tonight, outbreaks of rain become confined to the Northern Isles and overnight temperatures will be high for the time of year in some places.

By tomorrow, most of the UK will be dry and sunny, with perhaps some rain lingering in Scotland. Temperatures look to reach 26°C in the southeast and again, overnight temperatures will be high for the time of year.

High pressure continues on Wednesday, with temperatures widely in the 20s, reaching a maxima of 27°C.  The warmest day of the week looks set to be Thursday, with temperatures potentially reaching 29°C in the southeast.

The highest recorded April temperature was way back in 1949 when Camden Square in London recorded 29.4°C on 16 April and the highest May temperature recorded was 32.8°C on 22 May, 1922, again, in Camden Square in London.

In Met Office temperature records, which go back to 1860, if we reach 30°C this week it will be the earliest point in the year in which we have reached 30°C.  

Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “Thursday looks set to be the warmest day of the week, with temperatures climbing notably above the seasonal average. Overnight temperatures will also be very high in places. It’s possible national and station records for daytime and overnight temperatures may be broken, but it’s unclear at this point whether heatwave criteria will be reached in some of the lower category areas which require temperatures to reach 25°C or above for three consecutive days. The far north will always see cooler conditions, with these more seasonal temperatures likely spreading erratically south later in the week.”

What is the definition for a UK heatwave? 

A UK heatwave threshold is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. The threshold varies by UK county, see the UK temperature threshold map below.

Map showing heatwave criteria in the UK

High UV and pollen levels

UV and pollen levels will also be high this week. Stay safe with tips from the NHS and get pollen alerts directly to your phone on the Met Office app, or visit the pollen forecast on the Met Office website.  

Our WeatherReady pages have lots of advice from our partners about taking care in the heat.

Whilst you may be tempted to head to the coast for a paddle or swim, bear in mind that the sea is still pretty cold at this time of year. Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety for the RNLI said: "With the warm weather forecast this week, we want to remind everyone to stay safe when visiting the coast. Whilst the air temperature will be high, water temperature remain dangerously cold. If possible, choose a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live; tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then call for help or swim to safety if you can. It's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently. In any coastal emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."

It is important to also think of pets in the hot weather too. Dr. Elizabeth Mullineaux, President of the British Veterinary Association said: “Like us, animals also struggle when temperatures soar. Each year, vets see pets suffering from heat-related problems and illnesses, such as heatstroke, breathing problems, burnt paw pads and sunburn. Remember, be sure your animals have access to fresh drinking water, good ventilation and shade from direct sunlight at all times in the summer.” 

A fall in temperatures towards the end of the week

Temperatures will start to fall from Friday, with the chance of some showers and thunderstorms developing, most likely in the south/southwest later on Thursday or overnight. There is then some uncertainty in the weather as we move towards the weekend, as an area of low pressure tries to move up from the south.

Keep up to date with weather warnings, and you can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.