Exact dates UK set to reach 20 degree temperatures with bank holiday coming

Following weeks of rain and cloudy skies, the UK weather is set to finally take a warmer turn, with temperatures in certain areas across the country expected to skyrocket over the coming days.

Sunnier conditions are due to arrive by mid-week thanks to air moving northwards from the continent, hopefully sparking the end of colder temperatures for a while.

So, does this mean a beer garden could finally be on the cards ahead of the may bank holiday weekend?

Well, blue skies are expected across the UK by Tuesday (30 April), with temperatures reaching the high teens before a huge increase of up to 24C on 3 May - just in time for the early May bank holiday.

Many places across the country, such as Manchester and Edinburgh, will be hit with sunshine and temperatures between 18C and 20C in early May.

Sadly, not everyone is getting the sunny treatment... so you might want to hold off on those pub garden plans.

For 2 May until 11 May, the Met Office’s forecast reads: “In the first part of this period, many areas of the UK are expected to see periods of rain or showers. Some of these showers will be heavy and thundery, with the greatest chance of thunderstorms in the southeast.

“Along with this will be a fair amount of low cloud in the east at times, with spells of coastal fog, but also temperatures generally above average for the time of year.

"Overall, northwestern parts of the UK are likely to be driest and sunniest." Through the second week, temperatures will return closer to normal, perhaps dipping back below average, but it will also to turn gradually drier and more settled.

The new working week will get off to a wet and breezy start across many western areas 🌧️🌬️

Elsewhere it will be drier with some sunshine 🌥️ pic.twitter.com/aB4Hlxq7MG

— Met Office (@metoffice) April 28, 2024

There's no doubt this is welcome news to those in the sun spots following a very wet weekend and below average temperatures throughout spring so far.

BBC weather forecaster Louise Lear said: “April 2024 has been pretty disappointing but hopefully we are going to be able to close out the month on something a little promising.

"It is certainly going to be a warmer story over the next few days, with some sunshine around. There will still be some rain at times, the winds not quite as strong but a notable breeze.”

Looking at today (29 April) she continued: "There will be outbreaks of rain albeit fairly fragmented moving across Northern Ireland into Scotland, North West England, Wales and South West England.

"But there will be sunshine to begin with across the far north east of Scotland and we cling onto sunshine really from Lincolnshire down towards the south coast."

However, she noted that warmer days are just round the corner.

"Anywhere south and east staying sunny and warmer, 18C the expected high.

"Now as we move into Tuesday that low pressure is still there but there is still the potential for some warmth and for some sunshine to develop.

"The wind direction is swinging round to southerly that’s tapping into some warmer air coming from up from the near Continent and it means that temperatures will be slightly above average for the latter stages of April as we close out the month."