More sun in June, Met Office predicts

John Vidal

Field of wheat in Suffolk in July 2008. This year farmers in East Anglia are expecting harvests to be 25% down in normal yields because of the dry sping. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian
Parts of the UK have enjoyed one of the warmest and driest springs for more than 100 years, according to the Met Office.

But while the south and east of Britain experienced balmy temperatures, places further north and east remained wet. For the weekend, forecasters predicted sunshine and temperatures in the mid-20s celsius.

Across the whole of England and Wales, it was the second driest spring since 1910 and the driest spring since 1990.

Central England experienced an average temperature of 10.3C (50.5F), the highest since monthly records began in 1659.

The temperature for the whole of Britain was 9.2C (48.6F), the highest since 1910, the Met Office said. The previous top figure was in 2007 when the average was 9.05C (48.3F).

Overall, England and Wales had only 45% of the long-term average rainfall for March, April and May. But East Anglia had only 21% of the long-term average rainfall – giving the area its driest spring for 101 years. This comes on top of the warmest, driest March and April recorded in England and Wales in more than 50 years.

Britain's exceptionally dry and hot spring is set to continue well into June, providing little relief for farmers especially in southern England and East Anglia.

Provisional rainfall figures from the Environment Agency for May suggest that while the north and the Midlands have had much-needed showers, East Anglia has only had 20% of average rainfall and central, south-east and south-west England between 41% and 55% of average.

"River flows remain low, except in north England and north Wales. River flows in south-west England, the Midlands, south-east Wales, parts of East Anglia and Kent are particularly low", said the agency in a statement.

"Throughout most of June, rainfall amounts look likely to continue to be below average across the UK, especially in the south, where they will probably stay well below average", said the Met Office.

In May, the public sector research body, the Centre for Hydrology and Ecology, reported soils were some of the driest seen in England and Wales for at least 50 years. "The exceptional aridity of the early spring, following a relatively dry 2010, has resulted in agricultural and hydrological drought conditions affecting large parts of southern Britain," it said in a statement.

Farmers in East Anglia are expecting harvests to be 25% down on normal yields, but the dry, warm weather has benefited many fruit growers who have been able to harvest early. The British strawberry season started nearly two weeks earlier than usual. The early start to the season is also set to benefit British wine growers.

Allison Cobb, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "It is going to be very pleasant across the UK over the next few days with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the mid-20s celsius which is warmer than average for the time of year.

"On Saturday it starts to turn a bit cooler and cloudier in northern parts with some drizzle as a cold front swings southwards across the UK.

"Southern areas will still be quite nice and dry and sunny with temperatures in the mid to low 20s celsius, although northern parts will see temperatures drop down to the teens."

Sunday is expected to be cooler in the south with temperatures dropping to the upper teens Celsius, and drizzle expected in Scotland and Ireland. The Guardian