UK warm and sunny weather likely to be short-lived

Midweek temperatures climbed to about 18C and a Saharan dust plume tinted the sky, but forecasts show rain and cooler, unsettled conditions returning over the weekend into early March.

After a brief warm spell midweek, much of the UK is expected to see a return to wet and changeable conditions. Temperatures reached about 18C on Wednesday, following highs above 16C on Tuesday and 18.7C recorded at Kew Gardens. A Saharan dust plume moved in from North Africa and tinted the sky orange at sunset. Met Office records show the midweek reading was the highest February temperature since 27 February 2019. Weather details: - Temperatures reached around 18C on Wednesday, with 18.7C recorded at Kew Gardens earlier in the week. - The Met Office notes the highest February reading since 27 February 2019 (19.2C at Heathrow) and that the February record remains 21.2C at Kew Gardens from 2019. - A plume of Saharan dust arrived from North Africa, producing an orange-tinged sky. - Forecasts indicate a noticeable drop in temperatures into and over the weekend, with unsettled conditions dominating across the UK. - Rain is expected to be dominant on Friday and into early March, with some brighter spells and showers possible on Saturday and cloud and rain returning from the west on Sunday. Summary: The midweek warmth and sunnier conditions are expected to be short-lived as rain and cooler, unsettled weather return over the weekend and into early March. Meteorological spring begins on 1 March, and astronomical spring starts with the equinox on 20 March; forecasts show a mix of showers and sunshine by early next week.