UK weather forecast LIVE – Hottest day of the year THIS WEEKEND as Met Office predicts scorching 18C temperatures

Top tips when taking your pets on holiday

With Easter holidays just around the corner, families are looking to get away and spend some time outdoors in the countryside.
A caravan or camping trip is the perfect opportunity to spend time with your family, whilst also being able to bring your beloved dog.

Bella & Duke’s Natural Canine Behaviourist, Caroline Spencer has provided her top 10 tips for going on holiday with your dog, and creating the perfect memories for all to enjoy.

1. Make a doggy check-list
2. Get to know where you are staying
3. Bring some home comforts
4. Let your dog get familiar with the new space
5. Bring supplies to keep your dog’s food fresh and tasty
6. Remember it’s a holiday for you and your dog
7. Don’t over-do it – always keep your dog hydrated and relaxed

Caroline Spencer adds: “Going on holiday should be fun for both you and your dog. It’s the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time together, away from work and other distractions.

“It’s important to find the right balance between bringing some home comforts, like their cosy bed or favourite toy, and going out, exploring nature and having new adventures.”

Weather for this afternoon

If you’re making plans for this afternoon, you best think twice!

The Met Office has warned of scattered showers moving ‘east across the north and west’.

However, they have said that ‘the south and southeast will stay dry and sunny.’

UK weather outlook for Saturday and Sunday

Saturday will continue fine as it will be dry with wall to wall sunshine and little in the way of any cloud cover around. A fine and clear evening.

These fine conditions will continue into Sunday as it will be another dry day with lots of sunshine and just some patchy fair-weather cloud around.

Tomorrow’s forecast (Friday)

Any early patches of mist and fog will soon lift and clear during the morning.

It will then be fine during the day as it will be dry and bright with long spells of Spring sunshine, however there will be some variable cloud building in places. Remaining dry with clear spells during the evening

Tonight’s weather

Daytime showers will clear during the evening.

Overnight will then be dry with long clear spells however there will be variable amounts of cloud in the north and west bringing the slim chance of a shower.

Patches of mist and fog will form under clear skies and will be most extensive in the south

Bookies odds on warmest April on record

Leading bookmaker Coral makes it odds on, at 1-2, that next month is the warmest April on record as forecasters predict temperatures to soar.

The firm have cut the odds from 5-4 this week.

“March has been a mixed bag so far but the outlook for April is very pleasant, so much so that we have slashed the odds this week on it being the hottest fourth month of the year we have ever had in the UK,” said Coral’s Harry Aitkenhead.

Brits brace for hottest day of the year this week

BRITS are braced for the hottest day of the year this week as temperatures are set to soar as high as 18C.

High pressure building behind the wet weather over the course of the weekend is likely to see southern areas of England treated to a warm spring Saturday.

“We are likely to see some very pleasant spring sunshine, especially for the London and southeast area, during the course of the Saturday,” he said.

“We’re looking at temperatures of up to 16, 17, and perhaps even a rounded 18C could be possible.”

‘Very warm weekend’

Met Office forecaster Clare Nasir has said that for today, “the Western Isles and Northern Ireland the clouds will thicken here with some showery bursts of rain through the early hours of the morning and a strengthening wind.

“Elsewhere a fairly widespread frost leading to a cold start to the day come Thursday morning but for many it will be bright with some sunshine. It is not the case across western Scotland, you can see some heavy bursts of rain, snow above 600m or 700m. That rain extends down towards Northern Ireland.”

Ms Nasir said it is likely to be “very warm” over the weekend.

“Temperatures are on the up over the next few days you can see here most places will be fine and dry with some lovely sunshine,” she continued.

“Into the weekend high pressure reaching across Denmark will allow for settled conditions to extend right across the UK, but some stronger winds on Saturday certainly, gusts over the hills and moors as well as the mountains but with a southerly wind it will feel very warm across some parts particularly I would say the Moray Firth where we could see an 18C.

“Generally the weekend is looking fine and dry, much warmer with some sunshine.”

Temperatures of 18C+ this weekend

FORECASTERS say a blast of warm air from North Africa is set to hit the UK this weekend bringing temperatures of up to 18C.

Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, has said that the UK can expect dry weather and blue skies this weekend, adding temperatures are likely to sit between 17 and 18C, potentially reaching 20C.

The forecaster added that the UK will see “a lot of pleasant weather coming now”.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, weather forecaster Phil Morrish also said that: “We’re certainly going to get some warmer weather coming in this weekend.

“We’ll get temperatures of 15 or 16C.

“As of Saturday, we’re going to get what we call a Spanish plume event, where air from North Africa is moving north.”

A ‘Spanish plume’ is a weather event that occurs when a bout of warm air is pushed north from Iberia, and may cause an increased risk of thunderstorms too.

Good morning, Milica Cosic logging on. I’ll be bringing you the latest news and updates today.

UK shorelines should expect wet and windy weather

Though most of us will enjoy sunny weather and mild temperatures, it’s not quite the same for our shores.

Strong winds are expected across most coasts, bring with it lots of rain.

The next two days will bring showers to the northeast and gales are likely along with lighter winds at times.

Explained: Why was the sky orange yesterday?

Hot air in the Sahara desert has lead to dust being dumped across the Mediterranean and now parts of the UK.

It comes as parts of southern Spain have been blanketed following a thick plume which has turned skies orange.

Paris was among the cities in France affected by dust, leaving the city’s 18th arrondissement “covered with a fine layer of orange residue”.

UK weather outlook for Friday and Saturday

Early patches of mist will soon lift and clear on Friday to leave a fine day as it will be dry with lots of sunshine and just some patchy cloud cover.

On Saturday any early mist and fog will soon clear to leave another fine day as it will be dry with lots of sunshine and blue skies around.

Short weather summary for today

A fine day as it will be dry with long spells of spring sunshine for most areas although variable amounts of cloud cover will tend to build into northern and western areas.

Outbreaks of rain and scattered showers will spread across Northern Ireland and Scotland and may be locally heavy at times.

Top tips if storms trigger your asthma

If storms make your asthma worse, then there are things you can do to prevent an attack.

• take your preventer inhaler regularly
• carry your reliever inhaler
• go for regular asthma reviews
• book an extra appointment with your doctor or nurse if you notice you’re using your inhalers more
• try and stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed to avoid letting the dust in
• take usual treatments such as antihistamines

Rules for cyclists looking to enjoy the sunshine this Spring

With the weather set to warm up in the coming weeks, cyclists are ready to get out on their bikes and make the most of the sunshine. 

Bobbin Bikes encourage cyclists to make themselves fully aware of what they can and can’t do on the roads.

Road rules for cyclists to stay safe this spring:

• Hand signals – Using hand signals is important for cyclists to communicate their intent to motorists behind them.
• Clothing – Cyclists should always wear a protective helmet that conforms to current regulations, is the correct size, and is securely fastened. Light coloured, fluorescent clothing is best to wear whilst cycling in winter or darker days, and reflective clothing and accessories should be worn in the dark.
• Lights – All cycles must have front, and rear lights lit up at night. All bikes must also be fitted with red rear reflectors.
• Cycle lanes – Dedicated cycle lanes are marked by a white line, which may be solid or broken. Cyclists must stick to cycle lanes when able to.
• Parking – Bicycles must not be left in any place that can cause obstruction or hazard to other road users. 

Some rain tday for the west of NI, Highlands, the Western Isles and the Northern Isles

Meteorologist Alex Deakin has brought us the latest weather news for the rest of the day today, reminding us it isn’t sunshine everywhere.

Deakin said there’s a possibility the temperature could get as high as 16C in parts of eastern England today.

He made clear Glasgow and Belfast are likely to experience some showers in the late afternoon leading into the evening, before hitting Edinburgh.

Deakin confirmed Wednesday is looking very cloudy for much of the UK.

Possible heatwave reaching 28C as early as April

While temperatures are often expected to be mild in April, it’s a month more synonymous with rain.

This year though, according meteorologist, Jim Dale, suggests Brits may experience temperatures at hot as 28C – temperatures typically reserved for the middle of Summer.

Last year’s April barely reached 15C, meanwhile our lockdown April was notoriously scorching.

According to the Met Office, it was the fifth hottest April in the UK since records began in 1929.

What’s the weather forecast for next week?

With this week looking so lovely for most areas of the UK, we look ahead for much of the same.

Though we’ll likely experience light patches of mist and fog in the early hours of Saturday, it should pass to allow sunshine for the rest of the day throughout most of the UK.

A breeze is possible in most coastal areas, and rain is expected across the northeast.

Though temperatures are expected to be mild to very mild in most areas, there is a chance of overnight frost and fog, throughout the week.

Mother’s Day weather set to remain dry and sunny

Mother’s Day falls on 27th March this year and doesn’t look like it’ll disappoint.

After Brits took advantage of the mild weather this weekend, we look ahead to more warmth and sunshine.

If you’re looking to enjoy outdoor activities for Mother’s Day, you’ll be in luck as the weather appears to be staying pleasant for the foreseeable future.

Thanks for reading

Joe Gamp here, signing off from our live UK weather coverage.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our rolling news blog today.

My colleague Milica Cosic returns at 6am.

In pictures: Saharan dust cloud turns skies orange over Canary Wharf, London

Canary Wharf was visible through orange hues today.

The colour was caused by a dust cloud from the Sahara regions, which hung 2km above ground level across Europe.

Hot air in the Sahara desert led to dust being dumped across the Mediterranean and now parts of the UK.

5 day flood forecast

Local flooding is possible but not expected from rivers and surface water.

Land, roads and some properties may flood and there may be travel disruption.

There are around 3,500 measuring stations and most are along main rivers and the coast.

Find a river, sea, groundwater or rainfall level here.

Brits’ photos from today’s Saharan dust sky

UK shorelines should expect wet and windy weather

Though most of us will enjoy sunny weather and mild temperatures, it’s not quite the same for our shores.

Strong winds are expected across most coasts, bring with it lots of rain.

The next two days will bring showers to the northeast and gales are likely along with lighter winds at times.