UK to see hottest day of the year so far as temperatures set to 'rise significantly'

The UK is set to see the warmest day of the year so far, weather experts say. The mercury is anticipated to rise as heavy downpours and chilly winds make way for sunshine.

The change in weather will come following a season of miserable conditions which has seen 11 named storms sweep the UK since September. Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and social commentator, said Britain looks set to 'undo the run of cold, wet and windy weather'.

But it could be a 'slow climb up the mountain' to summer. He said: "The next week or so is likely to bring the warmest day of the year so far, and we are going to see a change from the current cold as we lose the northerly drag.

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"There are going to be fronts coming through, so it is not completely settled everywhere, but there will be a change from the dominant low pressure we have seen now for months. We are about to undo the run of cold, wet and windy weather."

When the warmer weather arrives, the south of the UK is predicted to see the best conditions. Temperatures could beat early April's high of 21.8C, GB News reports.

Mr Dale said: "There is no reason why May can’t deliver some much hotter weather, but it is going to be a very gradual process. But the weather has been very unusual with seven months beyond the start of the storm season bringing yet another named storm just weeks ago.

"It has been seven months since anyone has had any possibility of having a barbecue, but this could be about to change. But it will be a slow climb up the mountain, and there is no sign of a real blast of hot weather just yet, and we will be looking over our shoulders for a bit."

Rising temperatures have prompted bookies to hack back the odds on May topping records with Coral offering 1-2 from 6-4 on a record May. Spokesman John Hill said: "Spring will finally feel like it has sprung over the next few days, and with temperatures set to rise fast, we have slashed the odds on next month being a record-hot May."

Exacta Weather’s James Madden added: "As we go into May, we will see the unsettled weather becoming less frequent with temperatures rising significantly from where they have been at the end of April. We could easily see thermometers rise to the mid to high 20Cs during this period.

"Some weather models agree that temperatures could rise through the coming weeks from below to above the seasonal average."