After months of relentless rain, the UK is about to feel a little more optimistic. The Met Office has forecast a welcome burst of milder weather this week, with London expected to reach 17C on Wednesday, complete with sunshine and clear skies. Remarkably, that is warmer than the 16C forecast for Athens, with parts of central and south eastern England tipped to climb as high as 18C.
It is the kind of forecast that has us all mentally dusting off the trench coats, planning “just a quick coffee walk” that mysteriously turns into a full afternoon outside.
Why it is suddenly warming up
The shift comes just days after Storm Pedro swept across the UK, bringing rain, ice and snow, alongside dozens of flood alerts and warnings. Forecasters believe a change in wind conditions is behind the milder air pushing in, and the weekend has already given a preview of what is to come.
The highest temperatures of the year so far were recorded across the UK over the weekend, with Somerset reaching 16C, Wales hitting 15C, and even Scotland seeing 12C.
Where it brightens first
Not everywhere will feel the glow-up at the same time, though. Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell explained that while parts of England and Wales should see improvement, the picture remains mixed further north and west.
“For many parts of England and Wales it does turn brighter this afternoon but for Scotland and Northern Ireland we continue to see a mix of sunshine and scattered showers,” said Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell.
“The very far south-eastern corner of England we may hang on to the rain for much of the afternoon but for many part of England and Wales, apart from the odd shower it is turning much brighter.”
© Geoffrey Swaine/ShutterstockThe warmest spots this week
If you are chasing the best chance of that “spring is coming” feeling, these are the areas currently in the sweet spot:
- London: up to 17C on Wednesday with sunshine and clearer skies.
- Central England and south eastern England: potentially up to 18C.
- Wales: already saw 15C over the weekend, with brighter spells continuing
Meanwhile, Scotland and Northern Ireland are more likely to stay in that classic late-winter mix of sunshine and scattered showers, rather than wall-to-wall blue skies.
© Getty ImagesThe Met Office outlook for the rest of the country
The broader forecast keeps the UK’s split personality firmly intact, with milder temperatures but mixed conditions depending on where you are.
The overall outlook for the rest of the country according to the Met Office was described as: “Often cloudy and rather breezy in the northwest, with rain at times.
“Drier and brighter further south and east, with some pleasant spells of sunshine. Very mild for most.”
In other words, northwest Britain stays breezy and damp at times, but southern and eastern areas could enjoy some genuinely pleasant, brighter spells.
© Getty ImagesHow unusual is this for February?
It certainly feels like a moment. The last time UK temperatures reached 15C was 13 December 2025, according to the BBC, so this week’s mild spell is set to be a notable lift, especially after such a soggy stretch.
And with winds expected to be drawn up from the south, the Met Office says conditions are likely to turn even milder as the week goes on.
If you need permission to plan a midweek walk, a pub garden lunch, or simply to stand outside for a minute and pretend winter is nearly over, consider this.
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