UK weather: Brits to bask in glorious sunshine this weekend with ‘Iberia heat' sending temps to 26C – but only for some
Countless areas are expected to enjoy above-average temperatures for this time of year
SOAK IT UP UK weather: Brits to bask in glorious sunshine this weekend with 'Iberia heat' sending temps to 26C – but only for some
SOME Brits could be set to enjoy temperatures as high as 26C this weekend as "Iberian heat" rolls in alongside glorious sunshine.
The Met Office has forecast that the jet stream, which is coming up from the Atlantic Ocean, will allow warm air to be drawn up from the Iberian Peninsula, carrying it to the UK.
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Swans and cows enjoying the sunshine in Avon Valley, Hampshire, yesterday
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Holidaymakers taking in the sun at a beach in Polzeath, Cornwall, yesterday
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Brits basking in the sunshine in Parliament Square, London, earlier this month
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This could lead to above-average temperatures across parts of Britain, while some other areas could be in for showers and cloudy conditions this weekend.
Met Office Meteorologist Alex Deakin explained that the "reasonably active" jet stream "may well tap into some real warmth from Iberia as we head into Friday and Saturday."
He added: "Temperatures across the south - where it warms up on Friday - could get to 24C, 25C, maybe even 26C."
The Iberian Peninsula, which includes Spain and Portugal, typically enjoys far warmer weather than the UK - and so winds carried over from this region are expected to help heat up southern and eastern England.
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Alex added that as we head into Saturday, parts of central England could also experience higher temperatures, pushing towards the 26C mark.
He said: "By the time we get to Saturday, that warmth extends further north across more parts of central and eastern England - so we'll see temperatures more widely over 20c and into the mid-20s in parts of eastern England."
However, this warmth won't be for everyone, due to winds coming in from the west and south west.
Alex explained these winds would mean that western areas in the UK wouldn't feel "as warm".
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However, he added: "It'll still feel quite warm and humid everywhere as we head towards the end of this week.
"But temperatures [will have] quite a contrast - it is going to warm up but only for some."
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Countless locals and visitors were spotted soaking in the sun on the beach at West Bay in Dorset yesterday
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Holidaymakers on the pier enjoying the hot afternoon sunshine at the seaside resort of West Bay in Dorset yesterday
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People fighting windy and wet conditions on Tuesday while crossing Westminster Bridge, London
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While temperatures are likely to be above-average across East Anglia and the south east, conditions are expected to be average for this time of year in the west of the UK, Alex said.
In terms of sunshine, much of the south and east are expected to bask in glorious bright conditions, while western and northern areas are hit with clouds and scattered showers.
Alex added: "If we see some sunshine on Saturday, it will really feel quite warm in these eastern areas."
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He explained western areas will likely not feel the sunshine this weekend, as an area of low pressure from the west brings "more cloud and more rain".
By Sunday, there are expected to be scattered showers across parts of the north of England and Scotland, while southern areas should remain largely dry.
This comes just days after Brits were soaked in a washout Bank Holiday Monday, with temperatures having dropped to as low as -5C in some regions.
Thunderstorms hit across the UK, with one area - in and around the River Mimram in Hertfordshire - being issued with a flood alert.
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It followed the driest start to the spring in nearly six decades.
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