Britons bask in record warm weather

 

 

The UK basked in the warmest ever March 26 as temperatures reached a new record.

 

The mercury rose to 22.9C (73.2F) in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

 

This set a new "date record" for the UK, making it the warmest March 26 since records began.

 

Other places in Aberdeenshire also enjoyed unseasonably warm temperatures, with Aviemore registering 22.3C (72.1F) and Braemar 22C (71.6F).

 

They were warmer than more southerly parts of Europe such as Barcelona, Nice, Majorca and Faro.

 

The temperature at Aboyne beat a new Scottish record set on Sunday when the mercury reached 22.8C (73F) at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire.

 

South of the border Otterbourne in Hampshire was the warmest place at 21.4C (70.5F), followed by Porthmadog in Wales at 21.1C (69.9F). Central London enjoyed temperatures of 19C (66.2F).

 

The resort of Weybourne, Norfolk, was one of the few places to experience average temperatures for the time of year with a low of just 9.5C (49.1F). Manston in Kent also followed the trend for cooler weather on the South East coast with a temperature of 12.1 C (52.8F).

 

Sally Webb, meteorologist at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "These temperatures should continue through Tuesday and Wednesday with a drop starting in the north, including Scotland, on Thursday.

 

"On Friday temperatures will return to nine or 10 degrees in Scotland and Northern Ireland but will stay at 17 or 18 in London."

 

 Press Association