The UK could see its warmest day of the year so far on Friday – as a “severe” rating for wildfires remaining in place across the country.
Temperatures could reach as high as 24C in parts of central England, as weather “nearer to what we’d expect in July” continues, the Met Office said.
It means the UK is set to be hotter than Marbella and Ibiza in Spain, Mykonos in Greece, and even Los Angeles in California on Friday, according to Met Office forecasts.
Check the latest forecast where you are
Sky News meteorologist Jo Robinson said the weather will continue to be “dry and sunny” into Saturday and Sunday.
She said daytime temperatures are expected to remain above average in the south and west, with the cool wind easing next week as high pressure becomes centred over the UK and Ireland.
The highest temperature recorded so far this year was 21.3C in Northolt, west London, and Chertsey, Surrey, on 20 March. The average temperature for this time of year is around 12C in England and 10C in Scotland.
It comes as the Met Office has predicted a “severe” likelihood of wildfires breaking out across parts of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, due to current weather conditions.
The forecaster said the combination of “ongoing dry, warm, but often breezy, weather” could lead to further outbreaks of fires after blazes broke out in Dorset and Scotland earlier this week.
The “severe” wildfire rating was first issued by the Met Office on 1 April. The Met Office said it will be downgraded in some areas from Sunday, but remains at an amber level in the South East of England.
Warnings not to use BBQs
Ahead of the warm weekend, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) has advised Londoners not to have barbecues in open spaces, to avoid inadvertently starting a fire.
LFB assistant commissioner Paul McCourt said: “We want everyone to enjoy the sunshine, but we urge people to take the necessary precautions to stay safe and help prevent a grass fire from starting.
“The Met Office has issued an amber wildfire warning, covering London, and this will be in place for the rest of the week.
“As the weather warms up and we head towards Friday and the weekend, we would urge Londoners not to have barbecues in open spaces or on balconies, including disposable barbecues, to throw rubbish away, and to dispose of cigarettes carefully to avoid inadvertently starting a fire.”
A similar warning was issued by the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service, who posted on Facebook to warn: “Wildfires spread fast, leaving behind scorched landscapes, lost habitats, and can be a big strain on firefighter resources.
“Don’t let carelessness be the cause!”
Several hectares of woodland in the Moors Valley Country Park on the Dorset-Hampshire border have already been destroyed due to wildfires that broke out on Monday and Wednesday.
Two more major wildfires at nearby Canford Heath in Dorset were also tackled by the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service overnight into Thursday morning.
While in Scotland, a large grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling, stretched for half a kilometre.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said there is a “very high to extreme” risk of wildfire remains across the country until Monday and urged the public not to light fires outdoors.
What has caused the UK’s wildfires?
Wildfires are not that unusual during spring in the UK, but recent dry weather has raised the fire risk, Sky News weather presenter Kirsty McCabe says.
She says that during March, Scotland recorded around 64% of its average March rainfall, with southern Scotland only recording 49%. According to provisional figures from the Met Office, the UK recorded just 43% of its average rainfall for March.
“If we look at the UK as a whole, March was a very dry month, with below average rainfall for many,” McCabe says.
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She adds that the impact of drier than average weather is that the moisture levels in soil and plants are reduced, which results in drier and more flammable vegetation.
The Met Office has said an area of cloud and showery outbreaks of rain moving northwards across south-west England and parts of Wales on Friday night may bring some relief to some parts of the country struggling with dry conditions.
