A brief surge of warm air is expected to lift temperatures across parts of England to 24C later this week. Forecasters say conditions will peak on Friday before a marked shift brings cooler and more variable weather. This short-lived spell of above-average warmth will mainly affect central and southern England. It follows a mild start to the week, with temperatures already reaching around 23C in some southern areas.
Warm Air Builds Across Central and Southern England
Temperatures are forecast to rise steadily through midweek as high pressure becomes established. According to the Met Office, this will bring largely dry and settled conditions, allowing daytime highs to increase day by day. By Friday afternoon, parts of central and southern England are expected to approach 24C.
The areas most likely to experience these peak temperatures include Greater London, Surrey, Kent, East and West Sussex, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Dorset, as well as parts of the West Midlands and East Midlands. According to the Met Office, these regions fall within the zone where warm and increasingly humid air will build most effectively.
Earlier in the week, conditions remain mixed. Rain moving southwards across Scotland and England on Monday brings some heavy and possibly thundery bursts, while sunnier intervals in the south still allow temperatures to rise above the late-April average. Tuesday is expected to feel cooler, with cloud and patchy drizzle early on before brighter spells develop.
From Wednesday, the pattern shifts toward more settled weather. Sunshine becomes more widespread, although southern areas may turn windier, with coastal gales possible in parts of the southwest. By Friday, the added humidity is expected to make conditions feel warmer than the actual temperature.
Showers and Storms Signal a Bank Holiday Shift
The warm spell is not expected to last. According to Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree, conditions will begin to turn more unsettled by Friday as rain and showers spread in from the southwest, some of which could be heavy and possibly thundery.
This change is set to continue into the Bank Holiday weekend. According to the Met Office, the outlook points to more variable weather, with a mix of sunshine and scattered showers across the UK. Northern areas are likely to see more frequent rain, while temperatures ease back closer to average levels.
Crabtree said that ahead of the incoming system, parts of England will feel warm and humid on Friday, reinforcing the brief nature of this early May heat. Afterward, the weather becomes less stable, with alternating periods of brighter conditions and showers rather than sustained warmth. Forecasters note that details for the weekend are still developing, and the balance between sunshine and rain may become clearer closer to the time. For now, the overall trend suggests a transition from short-lived warmth to more typical early May co
