UK weather forecast: Temperatures to cool off after Easter weekend with breezy, sunny days ahead

Today could be warmest Easter Sunday on record if mercury hits above 25.3C

After a warm weekend, temperatures across the UK are expected to take quite a dip but conditions will remain largely dry and sunny.

Most of England and Wales will enjoy bright, sunny spells on Easter Sunday, while it is cloudier in the north with patches of rain in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

However, the afternoon may bring several thunderstorms, mainly over North Wales, the Midlands and parts of northern and eastern England, said the Met Office.

Emma Salter, forecaster for the Met Office, told The Independent that there could be heavy downpours tonight across Wales and the Midlands. There are no weather warnings in place.

As we head into Monday and Tuesday, the high temperatures of 24C will dwindle quickly and Britons might see themselves turning radiators on again as it hovers around 13C at best early in the week.

Ms Salter said: “There is quite a change in feel of the weather coming, it’s been very, very warm lately – Saturday saw a high of 25.5C and we could reach that today.

“The warmest Easter Sunday we have on record was 25.3C, so we’d need to beat that to make today make it the warmest.

“From Monday onwards, there’ll be a cooler area of high pressure, generally fine and dry but certainly much cooler than it has been with top temperatures on Monday for central London expected to reach just 13C.”

Residents in Greater London began hearing thunder rolling across the county around 3pm on Sunday afternoon, with some parts experiencing rain and hail, while others remained bright and sunny.

One person joked on Twitter that the thunder was coming "because of yall sun bathers", in reference to people flouting lockdown rules to take advantage of the warm spring weather.

Conditions will remain bright and dry for most areas on Monday, Easter bank holiday, with a light breeze coming from the north. Parts of southern UK may see a cloudy start to the day.

The middle of the week is expected to dry and mainly sunny, but with cold mornings to contend with.

Ms Salter said Tuesday and Wednesday will be very similar in terms of there being “lots of blue skies and sunshine” but temperatures will begin to nudge up the thermometers to the high teens on Wednesday.

“On Thursday, there will be a band of rain sweeping up, affecting southern parts of the UK. It will be warmer across the country, with temperatures back up to the low 20s.

“We expect Friday to be cloudy on the whole, with heavy showers across the south.”

The government urged people to avoid beaches and parks over the sunny Easter weekend, and to continue abiding by social distancing measures to help slow the spread of coronavirus.