Temperatures have hit record-breaking highs in the UK this Spring Bank Holiday weekend but colder weather could be just around the corner. The latest weather maps from WX Charts turn icy blue at the start of June, indicating chillier conditions across the nation.
The Met Office recorded a temperature of 34.8C at Kew Gardens, London, on Monday (May 25) which is the highest recorded in meteorological spring (March, April and May). However, weather maps show the mercury dropping as low as 2C on Friday, June 5 as chillier weather hits the nation. Temperatures are then expected to stay between 10C and 16C across the UK the following day.
According to WX Charts, it will be 2C in central Scotland at 6am on June 5. Meanwhile, the mercury could fall as low as 4C in northern England at the same time, while Newcastle can expect temperatures of 8C and London 9C.
The cool weather will then persist throughout the day, with lows of 11C in northern England and Scotland at 6pm on June 5. In London, it will be 16C while Birmingham can expect lows of 15C and Plymouth, Manchester and Birmingham will see temperatures of 14C.
Then, the following day (Saturday, June 6), temperatures could drop as low as 5C in central Scotland at 6am. At the same time, Newcastle will see temperatures as cold as 7C while it will be 8C in Birmingham and 9C in London.
In its long-range forecast for the UK, which runs from Saturday, May 30 until Monday, June 8, the Met Office states: “The south of the UK is expected to be mainly fine and dry for the start of this period, with temperatures above normal. It will be cloudier in the north with some rain at times, this heavy in places.
“Moving further into the period, conditions will likely become unsettled across the UK as a whole. Atlantic weather systems will move in from the west bringing showers or longer spells of rain at times. The rain will likely be heaviest in parts of the west and northwest. Temperatures will probably be near normal overall.”
The more unsettled weather comes after a glorious bank holiday weekend of sunshine. The mercury topped 30C in a number of areas across the UK, with the previous hottest temperature for May (32.8C) topped at Kew Gardens on Monday.
The Met Office said the record was also beaten at Heathrow, Greater London (34.4C); Northolt, Greater London (34.2C); Teddington Bushy Park, Middlesex (34.0C), Benson, Oxfordshire (33.6C); Wisley, Surrey (33.3C); Reading University, Berkshire (33.2C); Wellesbourne, Warwickshire (33.2C); Cippenham, Berkshire (33.0°C); Brize Norton, Oxfordshire (32.9°C); Charlwood, Surrey (32.9C); Houghton Hall, Norfolk (32.9C) and Santon Downham, Suffolk (32.9C).
Met Office Chief Operational Meteorologist Dan Suri said: “We’ve now provisionally broken the spring and May temperature record. Meteorologically, what we’ve seen is the influence of warmth building under an area of high pressure near the UK allowing exceptional heat to build allowing maximum and minimum temperatures to reach levels not previously reported at this time of year.
“Further heat is in the forecast for much of England and Wales, with similar temperatures forecast for Tuesday. High pressure is forecast to gradually lose its influence later in the week, though maximum temperatures will still remain high and in the low 30°Cs for some mid-week and high 20°Cs late this week.”