Hottest Day of 2025? Met Office Says This Week Could Feel Like Summer

Could this Thursday be the hottest day of 2025 so far? The Met Office thinks so! As we officially step into astronomical spring, temperatures are set to climb to an unseasonably warm 21C in some parts of the UK, making it feel more like early summer than March.

Wednesday already saw a high of 18.7C in Northolt, west London, but Thursday is expected to be even warmer. Simon Partridge, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the day will be “generally dry and fine with plenty of sunny spells,” and, crucially, “a little warmer too.”

The best sunshine and warmth is expected across London, the Home Counties, and the southern Midlands, where temperatures will hover around 19C to 20C, with a few lucky spots possibly hitting 21C. That’s warmer than Barcelona (15C) and Athens (12C) – not bad for the UK in March!

Though this temperature spike coincides with the spring equinox, it’s unlikely to break records. The warmest UK spring equinox on record was 21.5C back in 1972, and according to Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon, this year won’t quite reach those heights. However, it will still be the warmest day of the year, beating the 19.7C recorded in Crosby, Merseyside, on March 9.

But before you get too comfortable in your sunglasses, enjoy it while it lasts—because changes are on the way. Friday will stay mild, but wetter weather is set to move in from the southwest. Showers will start in Cornwall and gradually spread into Wales, central, and southern England throughout the day.

And then the weekend? Well, let’s just say the umbrellas might need to come back out. “This heralds the move to something more unsettled for the UK’s weather on Saturday,” said Steven Keates, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office. Rain and showers are expected to hit most of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with heavier bursts in places. Scotland won’t be spared either, with wet weather gradually moving across the country throughout the weekend.

Sunday looks set to be cloudy with continued outbreaks of rain or showers. So while we might get a brief taste of summer on Thursday, the typical ups and downs of British weather are never too far away.

For those who keep track, meteorological spring always starts on March 1, while the astronomical version, based on the equinox, kicks off around March 20 each year. The equinox marks the moment the sun crosses the equator, meaning day and night are roughly the same length—though with the clocks changing soon, those longer evenings are just around the corner.

So, enjoy the warmth while it lasts—because by the weekend, we’re back to business as usual with some classic British spring showers!