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
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
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
in nearly six decades.
Met Office five-day forecast
Today:
Wind and rain will move steadily east, with heavy, persistent rain over northwestern hills in the morning.
Rain becomes patchy, with sunny spells developing across central and eastern areas.
Cloudy elsewhere with drizzle. Winds easing, feeling locally warm.
Tonight:
Low cloud and drizzle will persist across many western hills overnight, before more persistent rain returns to the north and west, along with strengthening winds later.
Clear spells elsewhere.
Friday:
Rain clearing eastwards across northern areas, Cloudy across central areas, with sunny spells and showers across the south.
Temperatures near normal overall, but feeling warm in the southeast.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Further showery rain this weekend, mainly in the north.
Some very warm sunshine at first further south.
Feeling warm, especially on Saturday, cooler from Sunday, and often breezy.
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