UK weather forecast: Just ONE MORE DAY of record-breaking temperatures - Met Office warns
BRITAIN can expect just one more day of record-breaking weather, meteorologists have said, as firefighters tackled a series of blazes across Britain during dry temperatures.
"Wall-to-wall sunshine" was expected on Wednesday before the return of showers and milder temperatures, according to forecasters. February's exceptional conditions have seen fires at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, on West Yorkshire's Saddleworth Moor and in North Wales, Sussex and Lancashire. Firefighters may welcome the showers that are predicted for much of the UK on Thursday, while those enjoying unseasonable sunbathing may not.
Today is going to be the last day of any warmth and dry, settled weather
Met Office forecaster Dean Hall said temperatures as high as 20C (68F) could be recorded in London on Wednesday, with largely "wall-to-wall sunshine across the UK".
He said: ”It's going to feel pretty pleasant out there so certainly make the most of this exceptionally mild weather.”
But he added: "Today is going to be the last day of any warmth and dry, settled weather."
Cloud is predicted to move in and bring with it rain across much of the UK, while Scotland may be spared.
Met Office latest: High temperatures to drop with rain and fog
Mr Hall said: ”Some of those showers could be heavy and there could be a rumbling of thunder with that as well.”
The UK saw a new winter record temperatures set in two consecutive days, with a reading of 21.2C (70.2F) at Kew Gardens in London.
Experts said climate change is heating up the whole weather system and making extremes more likely.
Mr Hall added that the impending downpours may "mitigate" the dry conditions faced by firefighters.
Crews were expected to bring the blaze at Arthur's Seat under control, while firefighters believed they had quelled the one on Saddleworth Moor.
A man was rescued from a tractor in Glyndyfrdwy in North Wales after a nearby blaze, which firefighters were continuing to tackle on Wednesday morning.
Flames were extinguished in East Sussex's Ashdown Forest, which was made famous by the Winnie-the-Pooh books, and on moorland in Blacko, Lancashire.
A series of gorse fires were also out on The Lizard in Cornwall, with firefighters saying the majority were suspected arson.
The Met Office’s website said tomorrow the weather will turn unsettled, with rain and possibly thunder, which will move eastward across parts of England and Wales.
There will be some patchy rain in far north, but mostly dry in Scotland.
Friday will be mostly dry and bright, but wet and windy weather will return on Saturday, clearing to sunshine.
Sunday will see heavy showers, coupled with lower temperatures.