The weekend looks dry and sunny, just a few pockets of coastal cloud off the cold North Sea. The wind will be chilly and the airflow is cool but we've had little rain so be Wildfire Wise
This weekend looks fine and dry with lots of sunshine. You know the score by now, at times it will feel wonderfully warm in sheltered sunny spots, but just plain chilly under any low cloud and after dark. Most places will stay sunny, but the breeze off the cold North Sea will be noticeable. The overall flow is stuck, coming from the east, so the air isn’t from a particularly warm source. This is the coldest time of year for the North Sea.
It’s the strong, spring sunshine supplying any warmth as temperatures on Saturday reach into the high teens, even low twenties once more. Sunday will probably just peak in the low to mid-teens.
North Sea coasts will continue to feel cool, as will northeast Britain on Saturday. It will also be chilly overnight with low cloud being drawn towards eastern Scotland. Under that expect temperatures of barely 8 or 9C.
Wales and southwest Egnland saw some rain on Friday morning. There is high pressure away to the north of the UK and low pressure near to Spain and Portugal. In between, the flow comes across northern Europe from the Baltic States. The low pressure near Iberia is “Nuria” yet another storm bringing rain to Spain. Not ideal for anyone heading away for an Easter break. Whilst the UK has seen little rain and weeks of settled weather, it has been soggy for SE Europe.
Wildfire risk
All this dry weather brings real concerns for wildfire spread here in the UK as more people get out and about after winter. Wildfire risk relates to conditions on the ground and the weather forecast. It does not need to be hot, although that can heighten the risk conditions. At this time of year, there is plenty of dry vegetation on the ground as readily available fuel. There are more people in the countryside and most fires relate to human behaviour. It can be blustery or windy, which would help spread a fire and hinder any firefighting efforts.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue service has issued another warning, “A ‘very high’ to 'extreme' risk of wildfire is in place from Wednesday 2 until Monday 7 April.”
The Fire Risk maps for England & Wales are undergoing a government organisational transition from the UK Met Office to Natural England. The new visualisation will not appear until late April/early May, so the public should rely on local signage.
The regional fire and rescue teams continue with their advice to #BeWildfireAware.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service @SurreyFRS "This week, our crews tackled a wildfire on Frensham Common, caused by a bonfire. Avoid open fires and swap BBQs for picnics. Be wildfire aware this season. Simple steps, like ditching BBQs and taking litter home, can help reduce the risk of fires."
This weekend looks dry and fair. There will be a cool easterly wind with pockets of low cloud/haar along the east coast of Scotland, which will really impact the air temperatures. In the sunshine and out of the breeze, it will feel warm but take a coat, on Sunday and certainly for any evening outings. There could even be a touch of frost for northern Britain inland on Saturday night.
If you are walking in the hills, remember it is still only early April, the air is cold what whatever blue skies and sunshine may promise.
From the Wales Wildfire board, “a little extra care will ensure we can continue to enjoy our beautiful countryside and keep our communities safe from the devastating effects of wildfire. During this time of year, grass and mountains can become very dry, which means if you deliberately or accidentally start a fire outdoors, it could spread very quickly, destroying everything in its path. #WildfireWise"
Following a sunny, dry March
March has been dry for most of the UK, only Shetland recorded above average rainfall. Wales saw its fourth driest March on record, its driest since 1944. In East Anglia, Suffolk and Norfolk experienced their second driest Marches on record, with only March 1929 drier. It has been very sunny too, with most areas seeing above average sunshine, particularly in southeastern England. England saw its sunniest March on record, with Wales recording its second sunniest March and the UK overall its third sunniest March. All of this helps to dry the ground and lying vegetation whilst raising the risk of any fires spreading.
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