Met Office forecasts temperatures to drop after sunniest spring on record

UK temperatures hit 26C on Saturday, wrapping up the sunniest spring on record before the country officially goes into the summer season.

Heathrow in west London enjoyed the hottest weather at 26.7C, about 8C hotter than the average for the time of year, while levels of grass pollen were very high in the South East.

Zoe Hutin, Operational Meteorologist said: “We reached 20.8 Celsius in Northern Ireland today (Helens Bay, Down), however temperatures are forecast to lower somewhat over the next few days, falling closer to average, or perhaps a little below average for the time of year.

“Average maximum temperatures are around 15-16 Celsius for Northern Ireland in early June.

“This week, Northern Ireland temperatures are likely to sit around this mark.

“Tomorrow will be another day of sunshine and showers, highs of 16 Celsius in Belfast.

“ A more settled day on Monday with sunshine through the morning but turning increasingly cloudy as low-pressure approaches from the west.

“Widespread rain may be heavy at times, clearing eastwards by Tuesday morning, with blustery showers to follow.

“Highs on Tuesday 15 Celsius. That remains the theme through the rest of the week, sunshine and scattered showers, always staying rather breezy, even windy along the coasts, with temperatures peaking 14-16 Celsius.

“It may warm up a touch by next weekend, however maximum temperatures likely remaining in the teens, rather than low-20s for Northern Ireland,”

A balmy end to spring for many comes as provisional figures from the Met Office show 630 hours of sunshine were clocked up across the UK between March 1 and May 27.

Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said: “It’s the last day of meteorological spring today but it’ll actually feel more like midsummer for some southern and eastern areas.

“It’s fairly warm in that sunshine, particularly across more eastern and south-eastern parts of the UK, with temperatures in the mid 20s.”

He said it has been a “different story” in the North West where people have seen cooler and more showery weather, which is expected to spread on Sunday.

“Further showers and longer spells of rain across the north of the UK and feeling much fresher for all of us by tomorrow,” Mr Morgan continued.

“Generally a fine start for many parts of England and Wales, a mixture of clouds and sunny spells overall though it will be a breezier day tomorrow and generally a bit cloudier too.”