Weather forecast today – UK temperatures could hit RECORD levels this week as 21C heatwave hits just as lockdown eases

THE UK could see record-high March temperatures as restrictions on outdoor gatherings are eased in England today.

The south of the UK will be “very warm”, the Met Office said, and some areas in south-east England could see temperatures rise to 24C by Tuesday.

The warmer and brighter weather coincides with the relaxing of England’s lockdown on Monday, when the “stay home” order ends and groups of up to six people, or two households, are able to meet outside.

In Wales, lockdown restrictions were eased as the “stay local” requirement was dropped on Saturday, with people allowed to stay in self-contained holiday accommodation.

Temperatures in March have not gone above 24C since March 29 1968, when 25.6C (78F) was recorded in Mepal in Cambridgeshire.

But by Easter weekend, cold air from the north may bring another dip in temperatures, with the Met Office forecasting showers spreading to most areas.

It said temperatures are likely to be around or below average for the time of the year, with a potential for widespread overnight frosts.

The coldest Easter weekend on record was in 2013 when minus 12.5C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire, on Easter Sunday.

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