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UK weather forecast: Temperatures to hit 25C over Easter weekend as heatwave sparks ‘deadly pollen bomb’ warning

Charity warns people with asthma to take precautions over warm and sunny weekend

Adam Forrest
Thursday 18 April 2019 08:36 BST
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UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast

Britain is set to bask in blue skies, sunshine and the warmest temperatures of the year during the long Easter weekend, as forecasters predicted highs in the mid-twenties.

The four-day spring break is expected to see the hottest days of the year so far, with temperatures climbing to 23C or 24C in the southeast, and possibly even reaching 25C in isolated spots.

It will leave parts of the country warmer than the Spanish holiday destinations of Marbella and Torremolinos, where temperature will struggle to reach 20C over Easter.

The anticipated heatwave has prompted concerns about pollen, with Sonia Munde, head of services for Asthma UK, warning: “A deadly pollen bomb is due to hit … putting people with asthma at risk of a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.”

Discussing the ways that asthma sufferers can protect themselves, Ms Munde added: “Take your prescribed preventer medicine to soothe your irritated airways so you’re less likely to react to the pollen trigger.

“Take hay fever medicines such as antihistamines as they stop the allergic reaction that triggers asthma symptoms and keep itchy eyes and runny noses at bay. Everyone with asthma should keep their blue reliever inhaler with them at all times in case of an emergency.”

The Met Office said an earlier spring might have led to plants flowering sooner, potentially increasing the risk of pollen.

Temperatures will climb into the high teens on Wednesday before climbing above 20C on Thursday in time the four-day break. Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “As we go into the long weekend, the weather is fine, warm and sunny.”

Temperatures could reach the high teens in many parts of the country on Wednesday, said Mr Deakin, who predicted any residual cloud over the Midlands, Wales and Scotland to “melt away” this afternoon.

Although clear and sunny conditions will be widespread on Friday and Saturday, some parts of the UK will experience a turn for the worse over the second half of the holiday.

The Met Office is predicting some cloudy spells and patchy rain in the north and west on Saturday and Sunday.

“The second half of the weekend, there’s a bit of uncertainty about that,” said Mr Deakin. “I suspect many places will stay fine and with sunshine, but there is an increasing chance of a bit more cloud and rain at times in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and into other western areas.”

The last time Britain enjoyed temperatures over 20C was a late winter heatwave at the end of February, when several records for the season were broken.

The warmest-ever February day was recorded at Ceredigion in Wales, with the mercury hitting 20.6C. Daily maximum temperatures for the month reached their highest since records began in 1910, according to the Met Office.

Additional reporting by PA

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