A SAHARAN dust cloud is set hit the UK this morning as Brits across the country swelter in 24C temperatures.

A cloud of dust is arrived in the UK from western Europe overnight and could settle today while the hottest April in decades continues.

The freak weather is being carried from northern Africa across the Mediterranean and into northern Europe, and can affect air pollution levels.

Despite this, most of the country will continue to enjoy balmy weather, with temperatures hitting 24C in Cardiff and 18C in Glasgow.

The country remains under strict coronavirus lockdown rules, however, with Brits unable to leave their homes and enjoy the weather.

The average high for this month is 12C, and this is the hottest April the UK has seen since 2011.

INCOMING DUST

Saharan dust clouds are seen several times a year in the UK, and are a mixture of sand and dust from the Saharan desert in North Africa.

SKIRON, a European weather forecaster, predicted that dust clouds would reach the UK on Wednesday evening and in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the Met Office: “Strong winds regularly blowing across the Sahara lift dust and sand high into the sky.

“Winds in the sky at between 3,000 and 7,000 feet can transport the dust thousands of miles across the sky.”

Small particles from the red dust clouds can affect air pollution levels.

The Met Office have warned that Brits should expect “moderate levels of air pollution” today, which “will become more widespread across southern England and Wales on Friday.”

SOARING TEMPERATURES

Today is expected to see the hottest temperatures of the week so far, with the potential for the year’s record of 26C to be broken.

Met Office forecasters said there would be cooler temperatures in the north of the UK because of higher pressure hanging over the region.

I wouldn’t rule out the likes of Greater London areas and southern regions even reaching 25C.

Met Office forecaster Greg Dewhurst said: "There will be a bit of fog to start the day on Thursday, but that will clear up pretty quickly and there will be bright, warm sunshine across the whole UK.

"This will be the same for Friday, which could be hotter in some areas.

"This is because of a large area of high pressure that is hanging north of the UK.

"It also helps that there has been consecutive days of clear, hot days that have kept it going."

Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond said: “I wouldn’t rule out the likes of Greater London areas and southern regions even reaching 25C.”

Lanzarote, on the Canary Islands, is expected to see temperatures of 24C today, and the Greek island Corfu is forecast to only reach 15C.

The hottest day of the year in the UK so far was recorded in Treknow, Cornwall, on April 10.

Asked whether today's temperature could beat it, Ms Diamond said: “Although 26C might be a bit of a push – it’s not impossible with light winds and sun-traps.

“Likely Friday is going to be a similarly warm day but as we head towards the weekend, we are likely to lose the southwesterly wind and a return to less warm temperatures.”

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