UK Weather: Met Office map shows temperatures to reach 17°C in some parts of the country today

Temperatures are to reach 17°C in parts of the UK today (March 6).

A Met Office map for 15:00 shows a high of 17°C for parts of Yorkshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and parts of the West Midlands also have a forecasted temperature of 16°C and 15°C.

Met Office forecast for the week

Thursday

Scotland and Northern Ireland rather cloudy with patchy rain. England and Wales becoming sunny for a while, though increasing cloud bringing showers into the west and southwest later. Breezy.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday

A more changeable weather pattern is expected with all areas seeing some spells of sunshine, though with showers developing at times too. Warm in sunshine, and mostly frost-free. Often breezy.

Spring weather

According to the Met Office, the weather in the UK during spring is often calm and dry due to the Atlantic losing heat during autumn and winter, leading to less heat and moisture being transferred to the atmosphere.

The forecaster says the sun is high in the sky during spring meaning temperatures can rise in the day, but stay cool at night due to the moderating effect of the ocean temperature.

Spring temperatures in the UK are largely influenced by latitude, with northern parts of the UK like Scotland seeing cooler temperatures compared to the lower latitudes and the southern parts of the UK which experience warmer temperatures.

Despite the warmer temperatures forecast for the beginning of spring this year, the season can also see storms.

For example, in March 2019, the UK was hit by Storm Gareth. The highest wind gust of 80 mph was recorded at Malin Head in Donegal, with the highest gust in the UK being 75 mph at Machrihanish on the Mull of Kintyre.

Roads and bridges were restricted, with some ferries and train services being delayed and cancelled. Parts of Cumbria experienced flooding, and fishermen had to be rescued by helicopter near Land's End due to overwhelming waves.