Easter weekend weather: Met Office issues 20C forecast for bank holiday

3 April 2023, 13:48

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

The Met Office's long-range forecast suggests that most areas should see fine and dry weather from Friday to Sunday.

Over the weekend, temperatures hit 15C and the rain finally stopped to make way for sunshine.

According to the Met Office, the start of the Easter period could bring showers and longer spells of rain.

But drier, brighter interludes are expected as we head into the weekend, while the north and east are expected to remain dry.

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Temperatures are expected to hit 16C in western parts on Good Friday, with highs by Monday possibly reaching up to 20C.

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, told GB news: “We are looking at a pleasantly warm four-day Easter Holiday.

“It’s not going to be a heatwave, but it is by no means going to be washout either.

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“We could see temperatures of around 16C or 17C in the shade, but in the sunshine, we could be looking at closer to 19C in some spots.”

He added: “The west is definitely going to be best this weekend.

“Further east, it is going to be chillier in the winds, and not feel quite as good.

“But overall, we are looking at a pretty good Easter weekend, which will be warm at times with some sunshine.”

As for the rest of the month, most areas are expected to see mostly fine and dry weather, with sunny spells becoming increasingly common with time.

The Met Office states: “By mid-April, there is a chance of a period of more unsettled conditions bringing spells of wetter and windier weather more widely.

“Temperatures are likely to be near normal or slightly above, although these may drop quickly under any clear skies after dark, leaving scope for some overnight frosts.”

This comes after it was revealed England has had its wettest March in four decades.

Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: “Although the month started cold and dry for many, moist, milder air soon pushed up from the south bringing frequent heavy periods of rain, this being longest-lasting in the southern half of the UK.”