Britain is set to bask in a burst of early summer sunshine this month as weather maps show temperatures climbing to 22C across parts of the country. Forecasts show six counties set to be the hottest places in Britain next week, with Kent, Essex, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire and Greater London all tipped to enjoy the warmest conditions.
Net weather charts for Tuesday, April 21 suggest the warmest weather will be focused across southern and eastern England, with several counties tipped to enjoy highs more typical of June than late April. The latest maps show Kent, Essex, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, as well as London, all in line for temperatures of around 20C to 22C by the middle of next week. East Anglia is also expected to enjoy the mini warm spell, with Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire forecast to hit between 19C and 21C. The warmest spot on the maps appears to be parts of Kent and Essex, where temperatures could peak at 22C during the afternoon.
Major cities including London, Canterbury, Chelmsford, Colchester, Cambridge and Norwich are all expected to see some of the warmest conditions in the UK.
Further west, counties including Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire are forecast to reach 17C to 19C, while Birmingham and parts of the Midlands could see highs of 16C to 18C.
Northern England is expected to remain cooler, although cities such as Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle may still reach between 13C and 16C.
Scotland will see the chilliest conditions overall, with much of the Highlands, Aberdeenshire and the far north staying between 7C and 10C. Glasgow and Edinburgh could reach around 11C to 13C.
Wales is expected to enjoy pleasant spring weather, with Cardiff, Swansea and Newport forecast to climb to between 14C and 17C.
The maps suggest the warm air will spread north from the near Continent, helping temperatures rise sharply across the south-east.
Coastal areas along the English Channel, including Brighton, Dover, Bournemouth and Portsmouth, are also likely to enjoy sunny spells and highs near 20C.
Temperatures are expected to be highest inland, with coastal areas likely to stay slightly cooler because of sea breezes.
There is also a clear north-south divide on the maps, with Scotland and Northern Ireland remaining much cooler than southern England.
The warmest conditions appear to spread from the south coast into the Home Counties and East Anglia, with eastern counties generally warmer than western areas.