Sunday sizzler! Weather maps reveal where will hit 17C today as Britain basks in spring sunshine - before temperatures plummet next week with Met Office issuing 'polar vortex' warning
A weekend of basking in the sun is set to continue today as UK temperatures peak to 17C in some UK cities.
London and Cardiff should see the warmest weather this afternoon, said to be even hotter than the Balearic islands and Costa del Sol.
The sunny Sunday skies finish off a week of delightful spring weather following one of the dreariest winters in history.
However, temperatures are set to plummet next week, with rainy showers and overnight frosts predicted to hit much of the country from Tuesday.
A polar vortex collapse is said to be behind the drop in temperatures with the UK facing Sudden Stratospheric Warming.
A Met Office spokesperson told GB News: 'The stratosphere polar vortex is now weakening rapidly.
'Over the last few days, the forecasts have become very confident and we are almost certain there will be a sudden stratospheric warming in mid-March.
'This is when the mid stratospheric wind is predicted to reverse from westerly to easterly.'
Friends enjoy the spring sunshine at Hathersage Swimming Pool in Hathersage this morning
A weekend of basking in the sun is set to continue today as UK temperatures peak to 17C in London
People on the beach enjoy the warm weather in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset today
The following week is set to transition to even more unsettled conditions, according to the Met Office, with spells of strong winds and rain in some parts of the UK.
It comes after Craig Snell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said conditions could reach 18C today in parts of East Anglia, north-west England, the north Midlands and north Wales.
'For much of the UK it will be a fine and sunny day,' he said.
'There are a few exceptions in the far north of Scotland but it will generally be dry and sunny.'
Thick clouds of fog swept across the River Tyne this morning as the weather started to take a turn in parts of the UK already.
The iconic bridges which connect Newcastle and Gateshead were barely visible as joggers and walkers battled through the mist.
The famous Quayside Market was also hard to spot as pedestrians struggled to see more than a few metres ahead.
According to the Met Office, the fog in the region is set to lift by late morning and the sun is expected to shine all afternoon.
People enjoy the warm weather in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset on Sunday
People enjoy the warm weather at Clevedon Marine Lake in Clevedon on Saturday
A swimmer still wants to keep their hair dry and put on a woolen hat while swimming in Clevedon on Saturday
Across the UK, March temperatures average at a daily high of 9C, according to Met Office data collected from 1991 to 2020.
Meanwhile, European holiday destinations typically known for their warm weather will possibly record cooler temperatures than thermometers in the warmest parts of the UK this weekend.
A high of 15C is forecast this weekend for Marbella on the south coast of Spain, while a maximum of 17C is expected in Ibiza.
It comes after Brits were told to take care on their journeys to work and school on Wednesday morning after parts of the country were hit by a freezing fog overnight.
Cooler temperatures are expected by the middle of next week, with daytime London predicted to be sitting at around 8C.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning on Thursday for the south coast of England after patches of dense, cold mist were seen forming in the area in the early hours.
Motorists were advised to give extra time for their commutes as visibility was reduced to less than 100m in places, making driving conditions tricky.
