Warmest day of the year forecast but ‘very high’ pollen warning

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Much of the country is forecast to enjoy highs of between 18C to 23C, well above the early April average of 12C to 15C.

Western parts of Wales are on track for 24C, topping last week’s peak of 20.9C recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire.

The warmer spell comes in the wake of Storm Dave, which caused widespread damage and disruption over the Easter weekend as 70mph winds battered parts of northern England, Scotland and Wales.

Wednesday is expected to be even warmer, before temperatures are forecast to plunge on Thursday.

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Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said the weather was “unusually warm” for the time of year, adding: “The average temperature should be around 15C.”

He said: “The wind is coming in from a southerly direction, and with not many clouds around, it should be well above the early April average.

“The last time we saw similar temperatures this time of year was in 2020, when we reached 26C in Cornwall.”

There is also a “very high” red pollen warning in place across England and Wales for Tuesday, as a result of the warmer weather, with a particularly high tree pollen count expected.

“With warm, sunny, light winds, all the trees are coming out,” Mr Dewhurst said.

This will affect hayfever sufferers, who may experience a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, and itchy, red eyes

There are also high pollen warnings in place for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It will be mostly dry and sunny on Tuesday, with some windier conditions around the coasts, although some showers are anticipated into the afternoon across western parts of Wales and the north-west of Scotland.

Although Wednesday may be warmer than Tuesday, the Met Office warned of a “big change” on Thursday when temperatures are expected to drop to between 10C and 13C.

“It’s all purely down to wind direction at this time of year,” a Met Office spokesperson said.

“For the next couple of days we’re dragging in that warm, southerly wind, which will allow us to see temperatures reach the mid-20s.

“As we go into Thursday, we’ll see temperatures return to normal for the time of year as we see the weather turn more changeable with advances of rain and showers.”

Temperatures are forecast to hover around 10C in the north and 14C in the south over the weekend.