Parts of Britain could be hotter than Athens this week as temperatures are set to soar, forecasters have said.
The mercury could reach as high as 20C in Wales and western England on Wednesday, according to the Met Office, climbing several degrees above the forecast temperature of 13C in the Greek capital.
That means we could see the hottest day of the year so far, beyond the 18.7C high seen so far in 2026.
It comes as east to south-easterly winds pass over areas of high pressure, which gives temperatures a boost in a phenomenon known as the Foehn effect.
The UK is expected to wake up to cloudy skies on Tuesday, with Scotland and Northern Ireland remaining overcast and rainy throughout the day.
But England will see the clouds clear and sunny skies develop throughout the afternoon, with temperatures climbing to between 15 and 16C in the south and west.
However, the warmest weather is set to come on Wednesday as high pressure dominates. The south and west are expected to see the warmest temperatures, which could reach around 20C, but are more likely to settle at around 18C to 19C for most, forecasters said.
The warm weather will continue into Thursday, with dry conditions expected and temperatures peaking in the south at around 16C.
But the sunny weather is only forecast to last a few days. Temperatures will cool towards the seasonal average of around 14C on Friday – however the UK will still be warmer than Athens by several degrees.
Dan Harris, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: “Wednesday looks likely to be the warmest day of the week for many, with high pressure dominant. The warmest spots are likely to be in parts of west Wales and western England, where under sunny skies,18-19C, possibly even 20C is on the cards. This is due to the additional boost expected from the passage of east to south-easterly winds over areas of higher ground, known as the Foehn effect.
But he warned the UK can expect chilly nights in between the sunshine, adding: “There’ll be a big diurnal range this week, which is the difference between the maximum daytime temperature and minimum overnight temperature.
“Thanks to the clear skies during the day, we’ll see some chilly nights after the warmer days with a few places experiencing air frost.”
This evening and tonight:
A rather cloudy but mild night, with occasional rain, mainly in the north and west but also over hills in the south. A blustery night, especially in the north with coastal gales developing in the northwest.
Tuesday:
Cloud will gradually break up to bring a sunny afternoon across much of England and Wales. Staying cloudy and windy for Scotland and Northern Ireland with further outbreaks of rain.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Mostly dry and settled with plenty of sunshine for most. Turning warm on Wednesday and Thursday with light winds, but gradually cooler from Friday. Some overnight fog patches possible.
