UK weather: Brits set for hottest New Year's Eve in 178 years as 'heat bubble' heads towards UK
28 December 2019, 20:25
Forecasters say the country will be hotter than Corfu as 2020 arrives with an 'early spring'.
Britain is expected to sizzle next week as forecasters have predicted the hottest New Year's Eve in 178 years.
A heat bubble is set to engulf the UK as toasty temperatures of 16C are predicted to sweep through the country from across the Atlantic.
The 1000-mile wide "tropical plume" means Brits should be able to enjoy weather warmer than Corfu as they raise a glass to 2020, making it the hottest 31st December since 1841.
Official records show highs of 15.6C were recorded in 1910 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
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The calm and dry conditions are being branded as an "early spring" and will be caused largely by a high pressure front moving up from Portugal, explained The Met Office.
Forecaster Simon Partridge said: “A tropical maritime air mass from the Azores is good news for New Year's Eve, with very mild 15-16C highs up to and including Tuesday.
“Conditions look pretty decent for fireworks, with light winds, and New Year's Day looks mild at 13C.
"North Wales and North-East Scotland will see the mildest temperatures in coming days, but even London's 11C will be 3C above average.
"There will not be additional issues with groundwater flooding, as it stays dry and mild with sunny spells for the next week in the South and Midlands, with some rain in the second half of the week in the North."
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The average forecast for this time of year in England and Wales is usually a breezy 7C.
But before the country gets to bask in the balmy NYE climes, Brits will have to battle through floods and torrential rain as almost 100 flood warnings remain in place.
The Environment Agency said: "Groundwater flooding is expected in parts of the South until December 31 at least.
"Some properties will flood and there will be travel disruption."
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However, The Met Office's Emma Smith revealed that although Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to face wet and windy conditions this weekend, many of us are likely to enjoy "cloudy, drier and mild" winter days.
The UK weather agency's forecast for Saturday said: "Many southern areas mostly cloudy but dry, although an increasing chance of a few brighter intervals.
