Weather: UK hit with 72-hour 'mini heatwave' with temperatures to 20C, says Met Office

After a stormy and windy start to spring, it looks like the weather may finally be looking up. The Met Office has forecast warmer temperature set to come our way from today (April 11) onwards. In fact, there is word of a 72-hour African plume “mini heatwave” which could see temperatures stretch into the 20Cs.

The majority of the UK is set to experience muggier and more humid climates from 1pm on Thursday (April 11), with temperatures in their teens. It is expected to be warmest in the east of the country, with Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire experiencing up to 20C. Cooler areas, such as the north of Scotland, the south-east of England and South Wales, are still forecast to have fairly comfortable temperatures, sitting at around 11 to 13 degrees.

Mainland Scotland is looking at temperatures in the range of 15C, while Northern Ireland is similar. Temperatures for Wales may well reach into 17C or 18C. Temperatures will continue into Friday (April 12) and Saturday (April 13), before cooling slightly towards Saturday evening.

But it won’t quite be wall-to-wall sunshine, with grey clouds likely to be a fixture for many while the temperatures creep up. There’s even a chance of rain in Wales on Thursday afternoon and more rain in Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland as we move into Thursday evening and early Friday morning. There may be a drop of rain in same areas on Saturday also.

Annie Shuttleworth, a Met Office forecaster and expert stated: "By Thursday morning the rain band will set across the south coast where it tends to create the sort of waving features which will keep it across the south through much of Thursday. Further north though it will turn much clearer and drier."

She added: “I think as the afternoon progresses the sunshine will turn that much hazier as this band of rain starts to return from the south and west and actually across the south west of England, south west of Wales as well, likely to stay quite dull, possibly a bit drizzly through much of the day.

"So it’s going to be a bit cooler here compared to elsewhere but I think wherever you are you will definitely notice the humidity as it will start to be a little bit muggy. Highs of 20Cs are possible across parts of the south east but actually even up towards the north coast of Scotland we could see highs of about 17C or 18C."