Brits brace for hottest day of the year this week with highs of 18C

ok.co.uk:

It might finally be safe to put away your winter coat until next year after weather experts have predicted that this week will see the hottest day of the year so far.The warmer weather is due to blast of dust from the Sahara blanketing Britain, Spain and France and turning skies orange.

Yesterday, Brits shared pictures of the rust coloured dust landing in South East England.The phenomenon occurs when relatively high concentrations of red coloured dust or particles get mixed into rain, giving it a red appearance as it falls, according to the Met Office.The dust can be dangerous for people with lung conditions such as asthma and other allergies.

Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter. Met Office meteorologist, Dan Stroud, said the dust is likely to be washed out of the air by the rain that much of the country saw yesterday.

However, the high-pressure building behind the wet weather is likely to lead to southern areas of England being treated to a warm spring Saturday and higher temperatures. "We are likely to see some very pleasant spring sunshine, especially for the London and southeast area, during the course of the Saturday," he said. "We're looking at temperatures of up to 16, 17, and perhaps even a rounded 18C could be possible." The Met Office said the warmest temperature it had recorded in 2022 was 17.2C in Pershore, Worcestershire so 18C would mark the day as the warmest temperature of the year so far.