UK to be hotter than Portugal this weekend as temperatures set to soar - before thunderstorms sweep country
10 May 2024, 20:10
Temperatures are set to soar as high as 27C in parts of the UK this weekend - but thunderstorms are expected to follow closely behind.
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The south of England will see temperatures peak at 25C on Friday, and could soar as high as 27C on Saturday, the Met Office forecasts.
Comparatively, Portugal's Lisbon is forecast to see peak temperatures of 24C on Saturday.
Scotland and Northern Ireland are also expected to enjoy some of the sunshine, with Glasgow set to see 22C on Saturday.
The influx of warmer weather has been attributed to a block of high pressure that has been over the UK most of the week.
But while many have been enjoying the seasonal weather after weeks of rain and grey skies, the warmer temperatures have brought with it higher levels of pollen and even wildfire warnings.
Fire services in Dorset and Wiltshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Weight all issued warnings for this weekend.
But the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms for large parts of the UK towards the end of the weekend, as “thundery breakdowns” are forecast to roll in on Sunday.
The yellow warning comes into force at 12pm on Sunday, lasting until 10pm the same day.
Heavy showers and thunderstorms could cause travel disruptions and potential flooding to properties.
Read more: Exact date UK will be hotter than Spain as temperatures set to soar to 26C
The forecaster said: “There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds."
Deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wisson previously said: "Many places will start fine and warm on Sunday, though it is likely to become cloudier from the west or South West during the day. This will be accompanied by scattered showers, which could be heavy with thunder.
"On Monday we're likely to see more widespread and longer-lived spells of rain, some of which will be heavy and thundery. This will also lead to a much cooler feel to the day."
