UK Weather Forecast: Met Office Predicts A Balmy First Day Of Summer

Oh yes.

Thursday is the first day of summer and parts of the country could be enveloped in a sultry 27C embrace to mark the occasion.

However there will be a contrast across the UK as a rainy weather front moves across Scotland, northern Ireland and the north of England, creating a north-west, south-east split.

By Friday, the mercury could even tip 28C, but the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning amid the threat of torrential downpours during the afternoon and evening in the south east.

The rain is set to focus on the area between Norwich and Crawley, with a possibility of localised surface water flooding, lightning and even hail.

After all that, be prepared for things to feel considerably more fresh by the weekend – come Saturday temperatures will be dropping to 22/23.

Another step down will occur on Sunday, with temperatures set to fall to the low teens, early 20s.

Early statistics show both May and spring have been warmer and sunnier than average, with mean temperatures for the UK as a whole likely to rank among the top five warmest since 1910.

The Met Office adds: “Sunshine has also been plentiful for many this spring, which could result in a top ten ranking for the UK as a whole with sunshine hours around 12% above average with two days still to go. It was a sunny May too, with Scotland and Northern Ireland seeing the brightest conditions with values currently running at 20% and 34% above the long-term average for the month.

“In terms of rainfall, amounts have generally been below normal this spring with the UK having received 80% of the long term average (189 mm compared to the long-term average of 237.9 mm up until 29 May).”