UK weather forecast: London set for 22C scorcher as Hurricane Ophelia pushes warm weather here

Sunbathers occupy deck chairs in Hyde Park
Andrew Henry
Martin Coulter12 April 2018

Londoners are set for a scorcher of a weekend as Hurricane Ophelia pushes hot Atlantic air towards the UK - reaching temperatures as high as 22C.

Despite autumn being well under way, the Met Office says temperatures are set to surge to 20C on Friday and hover around 22C over the weekend.

But the warm weather won't last long, as the UK is set to be hit by the tail end of Hurricane Ophelia, bringing winds of 50mph.

The heatwave marks a huge increase on average October temperatures, which typically sit around 12C at this time of year.

A Met Office spokesman said: "Temperatures will be above average due to a southerly airflow. The brightest, driest conditions will be to the south and southeast of the UK.

"The north will see more in the way of drizzle with some coastal gales and the odd rumble of thunder and hail."

The news comes days after the UK was hit by the remains of Hurricane Nate, which brought heavy rain and strong wind just days after wreaking havoc in Central America.

Hurricane Ophelia is currently crossing the Atlantic and looks set to reach the UK on Monday, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkhill said: "Ophelia became a hurricane overnight and the forecast track takes it eastwards towards Iberia for the weekend.

"After that, it will weaken and no longer be a hurricane or a tropical storm, it will be extratropical. It will then continue its way towards the British Isles, probably reaching us very early next week."

The unsettled weather looks likely to continue into Tuesday due to a separate band of low pressure, and will remain changeable throughout the rest of the week.

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