UK weather: London to be hotter than Athens this week as temperatures rise after months of rain

Spring is on its way for many parts of the UK as temperatures reach their highest in months NewsUKHome NewsUK weather: London to be hotter than Athens this week as temperatures rise after months of rainSpring is on its way for many parts of the UK as temperatures reach their highest in monthsMaira Butt Sunday 22 February 2026 16:02 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverSnow blankets Durham as weather warnings in force across UKYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreLondon is set to hotter than Athens this week as the country finally sees some warmer weather after months of relentless rain. The Met Office has forecast figures as high as 17C with sunshine and clear skies for the capital on Wednesday, higher than the 16C expected in the Greek capital, while other areas of the central and southeastern England could see temperatures as high as 18C. It comes days after Storm Pedro hit the UK with rain, ice and snow across the country with dozens of flood alerts and warnings in place. A switch in wind conditions is believed to be behind the warmer weather, with the highest temperatures of the year so far being recorded across the UK over the weekend. On Saturday, Somerset saw temperatures as high as 16C, with 15C in Wales and even 12C in Scotland. The last time temperatures reached as high as 15C in the UK was on 13 December 2025, according to the BBC.open image in galleryTemperatures could reach as high as 17C (Met Office)“For many parts of England and Wales it does turn brighter this afternoon but for Scotland and Northern Ireland we continue to see a mix of sunshine and scattered showers,” ” said Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell. “The very far south-eastern corner of England we may hang on to the rain for much of the afternoon but for many part of England and Wales, apart from the odd shower it is turning much brighter.”Temperatures are set to turn even milder throughout the week as winds are drawn up from the south, according to the Met Office. The overall outlook for the rest of the country according to the Met Office was described as: “Often cloudy and rather breezy in the northwest, with rain at times. open image in galleryBowes Castle in the village of Bowes in County Durham. Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice remain in force across parts of the UK last week (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)“Drier and brighter further south and east, with some pleasant spells of sunshine. Very mild for most.”Rain has fallen somewhere in the UK every single day of the year so far. The Met Office reported that rainfall totals from December to early February had already exceed the average rainfall for the whole winter in several locations. Scientists at Newcastle University have warned that the UK’s increasingly turbulent weather is a result of climate change. Researchers warn that UK winters are becoming “significantly wetter” and more prone to floods due to rising greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.University data shows rainfall is increasing by almost 7 per cent for every degree of global or regional warming.More aboutMet OfficeUKEnglandLondonAthensWeatherJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next