Cold end to Easter Bank Holiday Weekend as Britons thanked for staying home
Temperatures will nosedive on Easter Monday as Britain's bank holiday hot spell comes to an abrupt end.
The colder weather should discourage people from breaking the lockdown laws by flocking to beaches and national parks.
The mercury is set to plunge from 26C (79F) on Good Friday, officially the hottest day of the year so far, to an average of 13C (55.4F) on Easter Monday.
And some parts of the UK will struggle to reach double figures, forecasters predict.
Met Office meteorologist Emma Salter said: "(Monday) is going to be a bit of a shock to the system for some places, it's going to be dry but will feel really cold for England and Wales, with a drop in temperature.
"There will be plenty of sunshine but it will be breezy.
"A lot of places in England and Wales will struggle to get to double figures."
London will reach 13C and it is expected to be slightly warmer, around 15C (59F) in Devon and Cornwall.
Most of Britain is expected to enjoy dry sunny spells for the rest of the week, with the exception of northern Scotland.
However, high pressure - which serves as a shield to deter rain - will break down by the coming weekend, with north-western and southern areas at most risk of a washout.
Other areas are set to remain largely dry and settled, with temperatures staying above average, reaching the mid to high teens.
It comes as the mercury reached 25C (77F) in Kew Gardens on Sunday, not far off the 25.3C Easter Sunday record set in Solent, Hampshire, on April 24 2011.
The warmest April day was in Camden, north London, on April 16, 1949, when temperatures soared to 29.4C (85F).
Beaches and parks were largely deserted for most of the Easter weekend, with popular bank holiday hotspots and motorways almost empty, as police praised people for shunning the sun and staying at home to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sunday's Downing Street press conference that the future path of the Covid-19 pandemic would be "determined by how people act", adding: "I'm really glad that at the moment the British people this weekend are doing their bit."
And Mr Hancock reiterated the importance of complying with lockdown regulations as he wished the nation a Happy Easter.
He posted a video on Twitter urging people to continue following the social distancing rules.
The Health Secretary said: "Stay at home. That way you protect the NHS and you're doing your part to save lives."
Published: by Radio NewsHub