WE’RE basking in the warmest April for decades.
And the good news for Huddersfield is that it’s set to stay over the Easter weekend.
There’s only a slight chance of a shower to ruin what could be a barbecue bank holiday for thousands, according to Huddersfield weather expert Paul Stevens.
And he and his colleagues are predicting the heatwave will continue well into next week.
Stevens, of Salendine Nook, has logged temperatures well above average for the month and believes we are on course for the hottest April for at least 20 years.
He has also seen rainfall almost dry up, with only 8mm so far this month.
And with that coming after a very dry March, there is a good chance of more record figures for the driest Spring on record.
The heatwave has coincided with the start of the school holidays in Huddersfield and families have been enjoying fun in the town’s parks.
Many more have dug out the barbecues, or bought new ones.
A spokesman for B&Q said they had experienced a big demand at all their stores for barbecues and fuel.
Butcher Simon Hirst, of Hinchliffes, Netherton, said: “It’s gone mad. People are coming in and buying huge amounts of burgers, sausages and chicken for a barbecue. We have been very busy for days”.
Stevens said: “It does look like we are heading for the warmest and driest April on record for at least 20 years.
“It’s all down to a band of high pressure which has settled over much of the UK and shows no sign of shifting.
“It means that most of England and Wales is enjoying lovely warm weather and sunshine, although Scotland has suffered a lot of heavy rain.
“We are averaging 3.5deg above normal for this time of year and I think we will head into the Easter weekend with even higher temperatures, perhaps up to 20 deg Celsius.
“My advice is to dig out the barbecues and enjoy the heatwave holiday”.
Sunseekers enjoyed the hottest day of the year so far this week, with temperatures soaring to 25.4C in St James’s Park, London yesterday – eclipsing those in Rome and Athens.
Experts predict this month’s second mini-heatwave is here stay, with fine dry weather expected across the majority of the country until next week.
Next week’s royal wedding day is also on course to be bright and dry with warm, sunny spells, forecasters predicted.
Michael Dukes, of the weather division of the Press Association, said Prince William and Kate Middleton would be unlucky to have bad weather on April 29 during what has been such a good month.
“This April has turned out quite phenomenal. 2007 was the warmest ever April but we’re set to smash that,” he said.
“It would be extremely unlucky if they managed to get married on a day that wasn’t good.”
