How warm will it be in Peterborough during this week’s mini heatwave?

The UK could see record-high March temperatures as restrictions on outdoor gatherings are eased in England.

The south of the UK will be “very warm”, the Met Office said, and some areas in south-east England could see temperatures rise to 24C by Tuesday.

In Peterborough the Met Office said temperatures will top 17C (62.6F) today with some cloudy spells in between a mainly sunny day, before rising to more than 20C (68F) tomorrow (Tuesday, March 30).

Temperatures will stay high on Wednesday when Peterborough is forecast to see temperatures up to 19C (66.2F) with more sunny spells.

By Thursday temperatures will start to dip when the Met Office is forecasting a cloudy day with sunny spells and top temps of a much cooler 11C (51.8F) followed by 10C (50F) on Friday.

Over the Easter weekend Peterborough is forecasting to see more dry weather, mainly cloudy with sunny spells, with temperatures ranging from 10-14C (50-59F).

The warmer and brighter weather coincides with the relaxing of England’s lockdown today (March 29), when the “stay home” order ends and groups of up to six people, or two households, are able to meet outside.

In Wales, lockdown restrictions were eased as the “stay local” requirement was dropped on Saturday, with people allowed to stay in self-contained holiday accommodation.

Temperatures in March have not gone above 24C since March 29 1968, when 25.6C (78F) was recorded in Mepal in Cambridgeshire.

But the north-west of the UK could see heavy persistent rain in the first part of the week, before it moves southwards.

On Saturday evening, areas in the north will see strong winds and rain, particularly in parts of western Scotland where a yellow warning for rain is in place.

Those living in these regions can expect to see 80-100mm of rainfall, with the potential for 150-250mm over the highest ground, the Met Office said.

After a sunny Saturday, parts of southern England and Wales will see mostly dry, grey and windy conditions on Sunday, although some bright or sunny spells is forecast for the South East.

Temperatures are expected to reach highs of 14C (57.2F).

Met Office forecaster, Greg Dewhurst said southerly winds along with an area of high pressure would move in on Monday.

He said: “Into next week large swathes of southern England and Wales will be dry with warmer temperatures than expected for this time of year, the average for March being 11-12C.

“The mercury could reach a high of around 18C on Monday, with Tuesday seeing highs of 24C (75.2F).

“Much of the UK will remain dry and bright until Wednesday, while parts of Scotland will see some heavy showers.”

By Easter weekend, cold air from the north may bring another dip in temperatures, with the Met Office forecasting showers spreading to most areas.

It said temperatures are likely to be around or below average for the time of the year, with a potential for widespread overnight frosts.

The coldest Easter weekend on record was in 2013 when minus 12.5C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire, on Easter Sunday.