The United Kingdom will have to spend the last Friday under the lockdown on scorching heat before Arctic air brings wintry showers on Sunday, May 10, and Britain eases restrictions next week.
Britons will enjoy the sunny weather today as temperatures will hit up to 73F (23C), although heavy and thundery showers could develop in some areas of Wales.
Phil and Laura Gray along with their children, Sofia 5, Bella 3 and Connie 1 exercise on the beach in Portrush, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Portrush, Northern Ireland, April 26, 2020.
The warm weather experienced today will be prolonged until tomorrow as warm temperature soars to 79F (26C). Some parts of the country will even be hotter than some of Europe's top tourist destinations like Monaco and Corfu.
The fine weather will continue for most areas into Saturday, although most beaches and public areas are likely to stay empty as people stay at home amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce his plan for Britain's 'second phase' of the coronavirus lockdown on Sunday to manage expectations on the relaxing the restrictions.
However, the Arctic air will halt the warmth as it sweeps the country on Sunday with wintry showers in the north.
'We could see 26C in London tomorrow, and that's probably the highest we're going to see," Oli Claydon from The Met Office told MailOnline.
'Quite a settled set-up with warm conditions moving in, building tomorrow and Saturday, the warmth is getting as far as France," Claydon said, adding that temperatures will be slightly lower on Saturday at 24C.
As a cold front moves south across the U.K., rainfall to the north of Scotland as the front moves south, temperatures are seen with a much cooler pool of air moving in across the U.K. towards the weekend.
There are possible cold showers in the north, but this will not accumulate. "It will be a cold start to next week, as a widespread front hits Sunday night and into Monday. Monday morning feeling really quite chilly, considering the warmth on Saturday and Sunday," explained Claydon.
Restriction Changes
A general view of an empty beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Wells-Next-The-Sea, in Norfolk, Britain, April 24, 2020.
Dominic Raab has warned that there will only modest changes to the U.K.'s lockdown restrictions as he sought to downplay the first lifting of restrictions since March.
Raab confirmed during the Government's daily coronavirus briefing that Boris Johnson is set to make changes on the lockdown on Sunday, but they will be "modest and incremental."
He said that the Government is careful to prevent any spike in the 'R' rate transmission, which currently stands between 0.5 and 0.9. An increase in the last two weeks was seen due to outbreaks in care homes, which officials were "bearing down on."
Meanwhile, Raab urged the public to stay at home and follow Government guidelines as the nation heads towards a sunny holiday weekend.
Similarly, next week will be 'largely dry' with cloudier skies and patches of light rain, although parts of England and Wales may see showers and strong winds with a chance of frost. However, warmer weather may approach the south towards the end of the week.
According to the Met Office's long-term forecast, conditions are seen to be 'unsettled' towards the end of the month before hitting average temperatures.
Last month, the sunniest April was seen since records began in 1929, with 212.5 hours of sunshine compared to 211.9 hours in 2015.
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