Live weather maps have revealed the possibility of a 20C Iberian heat bomb swirling over the UK in the coming weeks. The latest Netweather forecast shows a hot weather front pushing upwards from France and Spain on Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2, with temperatures soaring to 20C in and around London, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester on these dates.
The maps for May 2, which have turned orange as Britain is set to roast, also show the mercury rising to around 17C in the south west of England, 17C in Wales, 19C in East Anglia, 16C in the north of England and the same in the very north east of Scotland - in a boost to Brits' hopes for the early May bank holiday.
As a mass of hot air makes its way over the British Isles, WX Charts maps - using data compiled by the Metdesk - offers up a similar hot weather forecast on the same date - albeit with a slightly more varied picture.
In England, it forecasts highs of 19C in London, 16C in the Plymouth, 18C in Norwich, 15C in Cardiff, 14C in Newcastle and Leeds, 17C in Liverpool and 14C in Manchester.
Meanwhile a day earlier on May 1, other pats of the UK will also see 20C+ temperatures as well as London. Parts of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester as well as Hampshire will see the highest temperatures, while highs of 16C will hit Wales, 18C on the south coast of England and East Anglia, with cooler temps of 17C in Aberdeen and 14C in Dumfries and Galloway in the south of Scotland.
Despite hopes of an early summer on the horizon, earlier this week weather maps revealed that a -3C Arctic blast could hit the UK at the start of next month, showing how volatile long-range forecast can be.
National forecasters are predicting that the rest of April will be "largely fine and dry".
In its long-range forecast for the period between May 1 and May 15, the Met Office only goes as far as to predict temperatures "slightly above average", which for the start of May would see the mercury rising a little higher than 17C.
It says: "Early May will probably see a good deal of settled weather with high pressure patterns most likely to dominate.
"Whilst some spells of more unsettled weather are possible at times, these perhaps more likely towards mid-May, much of the period is expected be largely fine and dry. Temperatures are expected to be near or slightly above average overall."
Headline:
Scotland to experience rain, while scattered showers expected elsewhere.
Today:
Scotland will see early rain turning into showers with sunny intervals. The rest of the UK will mostly be dry with sunny spells and scattered showers. Winds will be lighter for all, with cooler temperatures under cloud cover in Scotland, but feeling warmer, especially in the sunshine.
Tonight:
Any lingering showers will be confined to northern Scotland, while the rest of the country will be mostly dry with clear spells. However, outbreaks of rain are expected across the far south and west later, accompanied by strengthening winds.
Friday:
Rain already present across the south and west will slowly spread eastwards during the day. However, much of eastern England and Scotland will remain dry. The sunnier east will feel warm.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
The changeable weather will continue through the Easter weekend. Further spells of rain are likely, particularly across western areas, although some sunnier intervals are also expected. Temperatures are likely to stay around average.
