Parts of the UK will experience warmer weather than Lisbon and the south of France this weekend as temperatures are set to surpass the highest set this year so far.
Temperatures in the low twenties are expected in southeast England on Saturday, with a small chance of peaking at 24C – exceeding Madrid by one degree.
It will beat the spike of 19.9C recorded in northwest Scotland in January, should the forecasts hold.
The warm conditions are due to a storm system and winds from the southwest bringing above-average temperatures to many parts of the UK.
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Nice, in France’s Cote d’Azur, will experience slightly lower temperatures of 18C while Portugal’s capital will see 17C on Saturday, according to Met Office forecasts.
Despite the favourable thermometer readings, the weather agency said unseasonable winds sweeping across the UK will “take the edge off” Saturday’s warmth.
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The Met Office’s Craig Snell said: “The temperatures will be tempered somewhat by the strength of winds with the possibility of gales in some western parts of the UK.”
Sky News meteorologist Christopher England said Saturday’s heat will be “very short-lived” with temperatures on Sunday dropping to the mid-teens resembling this week’s conditions.
This week will remain unsettled as low-pressure systems will bring showers and longer spells of rain, especially on Thursday when heavy rain will fall in southern areas.
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England experienced a record amount of rainfall in the year and a half leading up to last month, according to Met Office figures.
It was the highest amount of rain for any 18-month period in England since the organisation began collecting comparable data back in 1836.
Sky News weather producer Joanna Robinson said the wet conditions were “down to the placement of the jet stream, which has often been close to or over the UK delivering low pressure systems and plenty of rain”.
She added: “It’s also been mild, with warmer air which is able to hold more water. For each 1C rise in temperature, the atmosphere can hold 7% more water vapour.”
