London is set to be hotter than Athens this week as the country finally sees some warmer weather after months of relentless rain.
The Met Office has forecast temperatures as high as 17C with sunshine and clear skies for the capital on Wednesday, higher than the 16C expected in the Greek capital. At the same time, other areas of central and southeastern England could see temperatures as high as 18C.
It comes days after Storm Pedro hit the UK, bringing rain, ice and snow, with dozens of flood alerts and warnings in place.
A switch in wind conditions is believed to be behind the warmer weather, with the highest temperatures of the year so far being recorded across the UK over the weekend.
On Saturday, Somerset saw temperatures as high as 16C, with 15C in Wales and even 12C in Scotland. The last time temperatures reached as high as 15C in the UK was on 13 December 2025, according to the BBC.
“For many parts of England and Wales it does turn brighter this afternoon but for Scotland and Northern Ireland we continue to see a mix of sunshine and scattered showers,” Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said.
“The very far south-eastern corner of England we may hang on to the rain for much of the afternoon but for many parts of England and Wales, apart from the odd shower, it is turning much brighter.”
Temperatures are set to turn even milder throughout the week as winds are drawn up from the south, according to the Met Office.
The overall outlook for the rest of the country according to the Met Office was described as: “Often cloudy and rather breezy in the northwest, with rain at times.
“Drier and brighter further south and east, with some pleasant spells of sunshine. Very mild for most.”
Rain has fallen somewhere in the UK every day this year. The Met Office reported that rainfall totals from December to early February had already exceed the average rainfall for the whole winter in several locations.
Scientists at Newcastle University have warned that the UK’s increasingly turbulent weather is a result of climate change.
Researchers warn that UK winters are becoming “significantly wetter” and more prone to floods due to rising greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
University data shows rainfall is increasing by almost 7 per cent for every degree of global or regional warming.
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