UK cities are basking in spring sunshine today with temperatures reaching a balmy 17C in London and Cardiff.
The warm weather makes a number of British cities hotter than popular holiday destinations including the Balearic islands and Costa del Sol.
Londoners and Cardiff residents are enjoying temperatures that rival or exceed those in traditional sunshine hotspots abroad.
The sunny conditions offer a welcome respite following what has been described as one of the dreariest winters in history.
Londoners and Cardiff residents are enjoying temperatures that rival or exceed those in traditional sunshine hotspots abroad
MET OFFICE
European holiday destinations typically known for their warm weather are recording cooler temperatures than the UK today.
Marbella on Spain’s south coast is forecast to reach just 15C, while Ibiza in the Balearic islands is expected to hit a maximum of 17C, matching London and Cardiff.
The Costa del Sol and Amalfi Coast are also experiencing cooler conditions than the warmest parts of Britain.
Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said temperatures could even reach 18C in parts of East Anglia, north-west England, the north Midlands and north Wales.
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“For much of the UK it will be a fine and sunny day,” he said.
But the Met Office warns this spring warmth will soon give way to much colder conditions.
A polar vortex collapse is behind the imminent temperature drop, with the UK facing Sudden Stratospheric Warming.
A Met Office spokesman told GB News: “The stratosphere polar vortex is now weakening rapidly.”
“Over the last few days, the forecasts have become very confident and we are almost certain there will be a sudden stratospheric warming in mid-March. This is when the mid stratospheric wind is predicted to reverse from westerly to easterly.”
Temperatures are set to plummet next week, with rainy showers and overnight frosts predicted across much of the country from Tuesday.
The Met Office forecasts even more unsettled conditions in the following week, with spells of strong winds and rain expected in some parts of the UK.
London’s daytime temperatures are predicted to drop to around 8C by the middle of next week.
People have been spotted enjoying outdoor activities, with swimmers braving Clevedon Marine Lake
PA
The change follows recent weather warnings, including a yellow alert issued on Thursday for the south coast of England due to dense fog.
Visibility was reduced to less than 100m in places, making driving conditions difficult.
This warm weekend stands in stark contrast to the average March conditions in the UK.
Met Office data collected from 1991 to 2020 shows March temperatures typically average a daily high of just 9C.
Britons are making the most of this unseasonable warmth before conditions deteriorate, with people spotted enjoying outdoor activities, with swimmers even braving Clevedon Marine Lake.