Saturday marked the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, the Met Office has confirmed, as temperatures soared to 24C.
Britons soaked up the sunshine in what is expected to be the last of day of the country’s warm-spell, with the weather expected to cool down from Sunday and into next week.
The Met Office revealed highs of 24C had been recorded in Northolt, north west London, on Saturday afternoon. It added that the last time a temperature that high was recorded was when Cambridge 25.4C in September last year.
People across the UK have seen temperatures far above the average for April in the last week, but the heat falls short of the warmest April temperature on record, which was 29.4C in London in 1949.
The warm weather has come alongside high pollen levels also, with swathes of England and Wales having been warned of “very high” pollen levels over the weekend due to Birch and Ash tree pollen.
But a change in weather is in store for Sunday, with temperatures forecast to be notably lower across the UK.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly explained: “A change is on the way this weekend, as we say goodbye to the wall-to-wall sunshine. High pressure sinks southwards and allows low pressure to take hold bringing more cloud, rain and showers, and also lower temperatures.”
He added: “By Sunday, conditions will be fresher, with sunny spells and light to moderate winds. Showers will be most frequent in the west and northwest, where they could be heavy, bringing a risk of isolated thunderstorms and hail. Precipitation may be wintry over the highest ground, over 600 metres.
“Many eastern and southeastern areas are likely to stay dry and rather warm following clearance of early rain, whereas temperatures will be much cooler in the northwest of the UK.”
The drizzly weather is expected to continue into next week, as lingering low pressure brings “a mixture of showers, longer spells of rain, and some drier interludes,” the Met Office said, adding: “Temperatures overall are most likely to be around average for the time of year, with some chilly nights, and locally warm days.”