Latest news with #StephenDixon
Sky News
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Sky News
UK weather latest: Highest temperature today confirmed - after May record broken
What does the forecast for the coming Bank Holiday weekend look like? Today was the hottest start to May on record with a peak of 28.2C recorded at Charlwood in Surrey. But temperatures are expected to ease by Friday and Saturday, with cooler conditions of 14C to 18C across the UK. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the weather in the coming days. Friday Some rain is expected in central areas but this should clear up by the morning. It will be sunnier across the UK, and cloudier in the afternoon. The sunny weather will, however, persist in Northern Ireland, some parts of western Scotland and northern England. Quite a bit of sun is expected in the east and southwest of England and some parts of the southeast. A peak of 24C is expected in the south and southeast of England. Saturday More clouds will be settling in across the UK but some sunshine will be seen in the west, in areas like Pembroke and Hereford, and central areas, such as Birmingham, are also set for yet more sunshine. Some areas of western and northern Scotland will also be sunny, while clouds are expected in Northern Ireland, although these are set to make way for more sunshine in the afternoon. Areas in eastern England are expected to clear up on Saturday afternoon, with sunshine expected around Hull, York, Sheffield, Darlington and Norwich. More sunshine is also forecast in the southwest. London may reach a high of 21C. Sunday The forecast is mainly cloudy in the UK on Sunday morning except for areas in Wales, western Scotland and Northern Ireland. The afternoon will see more sunshine in the southwest of England, including Devon and Cornwall, and in the north of Scotland. The southwest is expected to have the highest temperature at 17C on Sunday afternoon. Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesman, said on Thursday afternoon: "Temperatures tomorrow will be slightly reduced from what we've seen today, possibly 26 or 27 degrees in the far south-east of England through the day tomorrow." Monday The Bank Holiday is forecast to be mostly dry across the UK - as the Met Office forecast map below demonstrates. But temperatures will be way down and a lot more seasonal. In London, temperatures won't get much above 14C. For Edinburgh, a peak of 13C is forecast. In Cardiff, it's 14C, while for Belfast the highest temperature will likely be around the 12C mark. So while it might still be dry enough to get out and about, enjoy the weekend heat while it lasts.
Sky News
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Sky News
UK weather latest: Temperatures still climbing after May heat record broken - with high of 29.1C reached
What does the forecast for the coming Bank Holiday weekend look like? Today was the hottest start to May on record with a peak of 28.2C recorded at Charlwood in Surrey. But temperatures are expected to ease by Friday and Saturday, with cooler conditions of 14C to 18C across the UK. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the weather in the coming days. Friday Some rain is expected in central areas but this should clear up by the morning. It will be sunnier across the UK, and cloudier in the afternoon. The sunny weather will, however, persist in Northern Ireland, some parts of western Scotland and northern England. Quite a bit of sun is expected in the east and southwest of England and some parts of the southeast. A peak of 24C is expected in the south and southeast of England. Saturday More clouds will be settling in across the UK but some sunshine will be seen in the west, in areas like Pembroke and Hereford, and central areas, such as Birmingham, are also set for yet more sunshine. Some areas of western and northern Scotland will also be sunny, while clouds are expected in Northern Ireland, although these are set to make way for more sunshine in the afternoon. Areas in eastern England are expected to clear up on Saturday afternoon, with sunshine expected around Hull, York, Sheffield, Darlington and Norwich. More sunshine is also forecast in the southwest. London may reach a high of 21C. Sunday The forecast is mainly cloudy in the UK on Sunday morning except for areas in Wales, western Scotland and Northern Ireland. The afternoon will see more sunshine in the southwest of England, including Devon and Cornwall, and in the north of Scotland. The southwest is expected to have the highest temperature at 17C on Sunday afternoon. Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesman, said on Thursday afternoon: "Temperatures tomorrow will be slightly reduced from what we've seen today, possibly 26 or 27 degrees in the far south-east of England through the day tomorrow." Monday The Bank Holiday is forecast to be mostly dry across the UK - as the Met Office forecast map below demonstrates. But temperatures will be way down and a lot more seasonal. In London, temperatures won't get much above 14C. For Edinburgh, a peak of 13C is forecast. In Cardiff, it's 14C, while for Belfast the highest temperature will likely be around the 12C mark. So while it might still be dry enough to get out and about, enjoy the weekend heat while it lasts.
Sky News
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Sky News
UK weather: Warmest start to May on record - but will the hot spell continue?
The UK has seen its warmest start to May on record as temperatures soared to over 29C in the spring sunshine. The Met Office said 29.1C (84.3F) had been recorded in Chertsey, Surrey, passing the previous 1 May record of 27.4C (81.3F) set in Lossiemouth in 1990. Earlier in the day, the mercury reached 28.6C (83.4F) at Kew Gardens in southwest London and Wisley in Surrey. Thursday was also the warmest day of the year so far, beating the previous high of 26.7C (80F) reached in Wisley on Wednesday. But the heat is not expected to last, with cooler weather starting to drift in from the north on Friday. Temperatures are expected to ease by Friday and Saturday, meaning cooler conditions of 14C to 18C across the UK. Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesman, said: "Temperatures tomorrow will be slightly reduced from what we've seen today, possibly 26 or 27 degrees in the far southeast of England through the day tomorrow." What has led to the hot spell? Forecasters said the hot spell has been due to the jet stream remaining stuck north of the country, allowing high pressure to settle. Last month was also the sunniest April in the UK since records began in 1910, with 47% more sunshine hours than the long-term meteorological average, and the third warmest April on record, according to provisional Met Office figures. Rainfall was well below average for most of the UK last month, with just 56% of expected totals recorded. And Tyne and Wear had its second driest April on record, with only 7% of its usual rainfall. Scientists see fingerprints of climate change all over tumbling records Thomas Moore Science correspondent @SkyNewsThomas Britain has basked in the early taste of summer. The warmest May Day, the third warmest April and a spring that has so far beaten temperature records dating back to 1884. But this is more than just natural variation. Scientists see the fingerprints of climate change all over the tumbling records. Maps released by data analysts Climate Central show that across large parts of the country, human-induced climate change has made the high temperatures four or even five times more likely. The warm - and dry - weather this spring has led to a steep rise in wildfires. Figures from Europe's satellite monitoring service Copernicus show that more than twice as much land has been burned so far this year in the UK as the average for a whole year. Latest data shows 29,484 hectares (72,857 acres) have been scorched in 2025, compared to a yearly average of 12,613 hectares (31,167 acres) between 2012 and 2024. Temperatures will fall sharply into the Bank Holiday weekend. But the fire risk remains 'very high to extreme' across much of Scotland and 'very high' for large parts of England. The warmth that brings joy to many of us also brings jeopardy. Boy's body recovered from lake Meanwhile, the recovery of a 16-year-old boy's body from a lake in Nottingham prompted emergency services to warn about swimming in lakes and rivers. Chief Inspector David Mather, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this case as a reminder of the devastating consequences of entering open water - regardless of whether people do so deliberately or inadvertently." The London Fire Brigade said its crews responded to 565 water-related incidents last year and have already attended around 160 in the first quarter of this year, with incidents ranging from rescuing people to animals stranded on lakes and ponds. 'Water temperatures can be dangerously cold' Assistant commissioner for prevention and protection Craig Carter said. "Even when the sun is shining, water temperatures can be dangerously cold. Cold water shock can affect anyone, no matter how fit or experienced they are. It can lead to water inhalation, and, in the worst cases, drowning." The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) offered similar warnings, advising those planning to swim at a lifeguarded beach to swim between the red and yellow flags. Fire services warned that the warm weather means there is a "heightened" risk of grass and wildfires which can spread more easily during the dry spell, as firefighters have been battling what they described as a large wildfire in the Peak District. The RAC also cautioned drivers on the roads, with spokesman Rod Dennis saying breakdowns are expected to "soar", while the NHS reported searches for hay fever advice had doubled from Monday to Wednesday.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Northern Lights to be visible again tonight after dazzling parts of UK – here's where and how to see them
Parts of the UK could be treated to a display of the northern lights across the night sky tonight thanks to recent solar activity. The Met Office forecast the effects of a coronial mass ejection - a burst of material from the sun into space - would result in the colourful displays across northern parts of the UK from Tuesday evening. 'Strong auroral activity is possible in northern Scotland, but even southern England could catch a glimpse in any cloud breaks,' the Met Office said on social media platform X. The forecaster said its effects could continue into Wednesday night before easing into background levels. The aurora borealis is caused by solar storms on the surface of the sun. These storms give out eclectically charged particles which can travel millions of miles and, in some cases, they collide with Earth. Although most of these solar particles are deflected, some are captured by the Earth's magnetic field, creating spectacular displays. Auroras give off several colours, such as purple, blue and pink, and are most visible at night. These colours are created by two primary gases in the Earth's atmosphere — oxygen and nitrogen. Usually, the northern lights are visible in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the north of American state Alaska and northern Siberia in Russia. They are rarely seen in the UK. Stephen Dixon, spokesman for the Met Office, said ahead of a recent display last month that people had noticed the northern lights more in the last year due to the sun being in its solar maximum phase of an 11-year cycle, 'meaning higher frequency of solar activity on the sun.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
UK weather: Temperatures set to be higher than Greece and Spain as spring sunshine continues
Parts of the UK could be hotter than cities in Greece and Spain this week, as the country continues to bathe in spring sunshine. Dry, sunny conditions could see temperatures rise as high as 21C (70C) on Thursday in the south of England, while Athens is set to peak at 17C (63F), the Met Office has said. On the same day, South Wales and Somerset could reach 20C (68F) and may be hotter than Barcelona, where 16C (61F) is the expected high. Latest weather forecast where you are Northern Ireland and northwest Scotland had some rain and cloud on Monday morning, but the weather is generally expected to remain dry and sunny across the country throughout the rest of the week and into the weekend. Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said many in the UK had "a fine dry and sunny day" with temperatures that were "well above average for the time of year and that theme is set to continue for much of the week. Predicting a "settled period" for the UK's weather, he said it will "possibly get as high as 21C on Thursday". Mr Dixon said high pressure is set to be near or over the UK in the coming week and into the weekend, leading to warm and dry conditions. "Through the middle of the week it will be a touch breezier in the South West, but it will still feel much warmer than average." Although temperatures are likely to gradually drop on Saturday, they will still hover around the mid-teens and are likely to be higher than the average maximum temperature of 12C (54F) for the UK in April, forecasters said. April's record high was a summery 29.4C (84F), recorded in Camden Square, London, in 1949, Met Office records show. Many headed for the beach to make the most of this year's unseasonal sunshine. Katy Alston, who has been selling ice cream in Bognor Regis for more than 20 years, said business was booming at the weekend. Ms Alston, 57, said the weather has been "absolutely wonderful. Everything has been so tough and this weekend it's like we have seen light again". Read more on Sky News:Le Pen's response to guilty verdictTrapped under Myanmar rubblePrince's accuser 'close to death' She said the mild weather was "perfect timing" with Mother's Day on Sunday and added she is "really excited and feeling really positive (about the forecast)". The dry spell should last into the weekend and early next week, though there is less certainty when forecasting much further into April, the Met Office said. On Friday, the office said this week might see the highest temperature of the year so far.
