Met Office names UK areas facing 20C highs on Wednesday as red warning issued

Temperatures could reach as high as 26C in some parts of the UK.

14:24, Tue, Apr 7, 2026 Updated: 15:15, Tue, Apr 7, 2026

Sunbathers in London's Hyde Park

Temperatures could peak at 26C on Wednesday as warmer weather sweeps the UK (Image: Getty)

The Met Office has named the areas of the UK facing the hottest temperatures on Wednesday as a red pollen warning is issued.Warm and sunny weather is forecast to dominate much of the country over the next couple of days as warm air sweeps northwards across the country.

Highs in the low to mid-20s are expected widely across England and Wales from today, with parts of northwest Wales potentially hitting temperatures of 25C. Wednesday is forecast to be even warmer, particularly across central and south east England, where temperatures could peak at 26C. The Met Office said the temperatures are well above the early April average, which is normally around the mid-teens.

The warm weather will predominantly be felt in the South East and east of England, while parts of the West Midlands, South West and central England, north west England, Yorkshire and Humber, and Wales will also see highs around the low 20s.

But weather conditions are forecast to be cloudier and cooler across Northern Ireland and north west Scotland on Wednesday, with some outbreaks of rain.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Paul Gundersen said: “We’re seeing a brief but notable spell of very warm weather for early April, with temperatures more typically associated with late spring or early summer.

“This could be the warmest spell at this point in April since 2020, a year many will remember because of the COVID‑19 lockdown.

“However, this warmth will be short-lived, with a marked drop in temperatures and more unsettled conditions developing later this week. In some areas, daytime temperatures could fall by around 10C between Wednesday and Thursday.”

The warm temperatures on Wednesday coincide with a red warning for ‘very high’ pollen levels in the air for much of England and Wales over the coming days, with Scotland and Northern Ireland also seeing amber ‘high’ levels, before dropping later in the week.

The Met Office pollen forecast shows high levels of birch and ash pollen across most of the UK on Wednesday, with red 'very high' warnings covering the whole of England, and these levels are expected to remain high until Saturday, meaning hay fever sufferers are likely to see symptoms triggered over the coming days.

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