UK weather: Friday could be the hottest day of the year so far – with temperatures well above average for the weekend

The weather is warming up in the UK, with temperatures set to be well above average over the next few days.

With temperatures reaching 20C (68F) in parts of England today, forecasters said there was a 30% chance of setting a new record for the hottest day so far this year.

Temperatures in West Suffolk were 20.9C (70F) on Saturday, with high temperatures coming from Storm Catherine Moved over.

Sky News weather producer Joanna Robinson said the warmer weather this week was the result of south-westerly air moving towards the UK and Ireland.

She added: “Friday is more likely to see the highest temperatures so far this year and there will be more sunshine.

“Temperatures are likely to reach 22C (72F) in southeast England on Friday and again on Saturday before cooler air moves in from the north-west.

“There will also be some mild nights, with temperatures generally in the double digits Thursday night and Friday night.”

Met Office forecasts for Friday are consistent with this, with England and Wales expected to be mostly dry and sunny, but cloudy in the far west.

London could see a maximum temperature of 18C, while Belfast, Liverpool and Newcastle could all see similar highs of 17C.

According to the Met Office’s weekend outlook, the south and south-east will continue to enjoy warm sunshine on Saturday.

Check the weather forecast for your location

While nighttime temperatures may not drop below 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas, that’s still some way off the record of 15.9 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) set in April 2018.

While dry, warm and sunny weather is sure to arrive for some this weekend, not everyone will feel the benefits… with rain at times to the north and west.

Unfortunately, that won’t last either – by Sunday, cooler air will be sinking south, causing temperatures to drop for everyone.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Follow Sky News for all the latest news from the UK and around the world

Click here

This theme will continue early next week, with blustery showers expected on Monday, according to the Met Office.

So enjoy the warm and sunny weather while it lasts.