Britain is facing a sweltering holiday with temperatures expected to reach 20°C in some parts of the country. The gloomy, wet weather that has gripped much of the UK over the past month will be replaced by sunnier and brighter spells, just in time for the Easter bunnies. March was the wettest it has been in the UK in the last 40 years, according to the With office.
But the latest forecasts predict drier and warmer weather as the country heads into the Easter holiday.
The latest charts from The Weather Outlook show temperatures in England and Wales ranging from 12C to 16C on Easter Sunday.
Scotland will see slightly cooler temperatures ranging between 9C and 13C.
In Northern Ireland, temperatures hover around 13C.
On Easter Monday, temperatures in England will rise steadily, reaching 18°C in the south east.
Scotland will see cooler weather, with the thermometer dropping as low as 5°C in parts of the North West.
However, next Tuesday the mercury could rise to 20°C in the south of England and 4°C in Scotland.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “The south and east of England are expected to remain dry, with clear or sunny spells.
“Over time, drier and brighter interludes are expected to emerge across the UK as a whole, although there is still the possibility of some periods of uncertainty, particularly towards the end of this period (April 6-15).
“It may be that the wettest weather is most likely in the south and west.
“Winds are expected to be generally weak during this period, but there could be some spells of windier weather by mid-April.
READ MORE: Meets Office’s Easter forecasts as the mercury will rise within hours
“Temperatures are likely to remain close to or slightly above average.”
Jim Dale from British Weather Services added: “We’re starting to see models suggesting 16C/17C/18C… and if you see models suggesting that then 20C is still on.
“We all feel better when we get a little bit of sunshine, especially when it’s a warm bit of sunshine.”
Across the UK, temperatures in April average a daily high of 12C and a minimum of 4C.
Easter is normally a chance for British holidaymakers to hit the ski slopes for one last chance to hurtle down the slopes before the end of the season.
And April has ushered in heavy snowfall in parts of the Alps, making for great piste conditions over the holidays.
Les Arcs in France reported a foot of fresh snow in one of the weekend’s latest weather updates.
Meanwhile in Italy, heavy snowfall fell on the higher slopes and in the west of the country.
Cervinia posted pictures of a full-blown blizzard on Saturday morning, while La Thuile and Courmayeur both said they got 10 inches of fresh snow.
Switzerland also saw welcome additions after a cold weather front deposited as much as 70 cm of fresh snow in Seas Fee in a 24-hour period.