Temperatures are set to reach 18C or 19C on Thursday, which could make it the warmest day of the year so far.
Above average temperatures for the time of year are forecast, with maximums of 18C-19C and 16-17C more widely, the Met Office said.
Last week, temperatures reached 18.7C in Kew Gardens, which was the warmest day of the year so far, and there is a possibility Thursday could beat it, forecasters said.
Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said of Thursday: “We have got a band of cloud and rain, this could be heavy at times, in western areas, it’s going to move its way eastwards.
While temperatures in Scotland and Northern Ireland stay around average, many of us will feel a touch of warmth this week ☀️
— Met Office (@metoffice) March 4, 2026
Temperatures peak on Thursday before dipping on Friday, then rise steadily again through the weekend 🌡️ pic.twitter.com/aESMPUfu0E
“To the east of that, it should be mostly fine.
“There should be lots of long sunny periods until that rain starts pushing into the east.”
It will be cloudier across much of England and Wales on Friday, while Northern Ireland and Scotland will get more sunshine, Ms Criswick added.
High temperatures of 11C-12C are forecast across England and Wales on Friday.
The weekend will be a mix of patchy cloud and some sunshine, with high temperatures of 12C-13C on Saturday and 14C on Sunday, Ms Criswick said.
“It’s the first week of meteorological spring so not a bad forecast,” she added.
