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Temperatures "up to 16 or 17°C" are expected in some parts of the UK on Good Friday as the sunny spells begin over the Easter long weekend. The Met Office said the weather should be "fine and relatively pleasant" over the long weekend with "some sunshine" before "rain in most places" on bank holiday Monday. He said much of the UK, "particularly the west", will be free of rain and will enjoy sunny spells on Friday, despite a "frosty start in some places".
On Thursday, Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said Britons could enjoy "hot sunshine" on Friday afternoon, with highs of '15C or 16C in the south, 12C to 14C further north', with 16C expected in London and 15C in Cardiff.
The Met Office later said: 'Sunnier skies will see temperatures rising to as high as 16C or 17C during the day.
But the meteorologist warned that the eastern coastal stretches were likely to be cloudier, with some light showers and patches of potential North Sea fog and cooler temperatures of 10C to 11C more likely along that coast.
Similar conditions are likely on Saturday when "the vast majority" of the UK can expect "sorts of sunshine" after a "frosty start", with highs of 14 to 16°C.
Easter Sunday could be the 'hottest day of the year so far', with highs of up to 18C expected in parts of the UK.
Mr McGivern added: "Bright or sunny periods will have you feeling very nice, with temperatures up to 18C in parts of the Midlands to Wales and across the South East, mid-teens elsewhere away from the Sea coast. North, although parts of Norfolk in Yorkshire could feel a bit warmer.
This would set a new hottest day for 2023, surpassing the current maximum temperature of 17.8°C on March 30 in the Suffolk village of Santon Downham.
David Oliver, deputy director of forecasts for the Met Office, said: “During the second half of the Easter weekend, the Atlantic will exert more and more of its influence.
"A frontal system is expected to move in from the west and displace high pressure moving across the UK.
“This will extend the rain to all areas through the latter part of Easter Sunday and into Easter Monday, although there is some uncertainty as to its exact timing.
"Once the rain clears up, windy showers are likely to follow in many areas."
Monday will be "a bit cooler but still a relatively warm day," said Tom Morgan, a meteorologist for the Weather Bureau.
Morgan told the PA news agency: "It will mainly be the North West late on Sunday where you will see the heaviest rain."
“There will be gales across the coastal regions, as well as Scotland and Northern Ireland, particularly later on Sunday, so from a travel perspective, if you are planning a trip, there may be temporarily difficult driving conditions late on. Sunday time and possibly in the eastern areas. Monday as well, but overall we don't expect advisories to be needed over the next weekend.
It comes as around 2 million British tourists head abroad over the Easter holiday weekend, according to travel organization Abta, which calculated the figure.
He said there is strong demand for trips to mainland Spain, the Canary and Balearic Islands, the Algarve, Madeira, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, Greece and southern Turkey.
But tourists closest to home have been warned that they could face two-hour delays at the Port of Dover over the Easter weekend.
People have been urged to "allow 120 minutes to complete border checks and check-in" at the port of Kent as the bank holiday double weekend is expected to be "busy", the government said on Thursday. DFDS ferry operator.
PA wire
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