Monday ‘last chance to enjoy barbecue this week’, says Met Office

Monday could be the “last chance” to enjoy a barbecue this week on what the Met Office said could be the hottest day of the year so far.

Areas of Britain are forecast to be warmer than Crete, but temperatures may drop as early as Tuesday, when “breezy and showery” weather takes hold.

Meteorologist Richard Miles said temperatures could reach the mid-20s in London and the South East on Monday – above average for early May.

“Get your barbecuing done if you’re in the South, that’s going to be your last chance for a couple of days,” he said.

Noting that Britain could enjoy its warmest day of the year, Mr Miles advised people to take precautions against the sun.

The previous record temperature for 2022 – 23.4C – was set on Good Friday in St James’s Park in London.

Mr Miles said: “People should be sensible, using sunscreen, but the majority of people today are not going to see blazing sunshine. More like sunny breaks than extended clear skies.

“You should always take precautions for the effects of ultraviolet, you can still get it even through hazy and cloudy conditions.”

The picture is mixed elsewhere, with rain lashing the North of England and temperatures in Scotland peaking around the mid-teens.

As showers gradually shift south and move up from the South West, London and South East England are likely to face rain on Tuesday or Wednesday.

“You could see a shower anywhere,” Mr Miles said, adding that the rain would be “heavy, especially given how dry it’s been”.

Temperatures are not expected to creep above 20C again until the weekend, when May is likely to resume its “warming trend”.