Weather maps suggest a heat blast will hit the UK within days as an Iberian plume moves north, bringing scorching conditions to the country.

The exact date the UK looks set to roast in an Iberian plume has been revealed by weather maps. Weather maps suggest a heat blast will hit the UK within days as an Iberian plume moves north, bringing scorching conditions to the country.

Temperatures could hit 16C in the East of England this week, with Thursday, March 20, earmarked as a date where the mercury looks set to soar. Along England’s south coast in West Sussex and the west of Ireland, in line with Dublin, there be 15C temperatures.

The Spanish plume, an air mass that travels north from Iberia, could bring an increased risk of rain due to hot air rising, Met Desk data warns. The maps have scorched yellow, orange and red as the plume makes its way over the country this week.

READ MORE UK faces ‘three days of snow’ next week with 61 counties hammered

A Met Office forecast for the week ahead advises: “Still fine for many at the start of this period but by Friday and into the weekend, there is an increasing likelihood that rain or showers will start to arrive from the south or west.

“Wetter weather will probably spread to all areas, at least for a time and could be accompanied by strong winds at times. Into the following week, unsettled conditions will probably continue across many parts of the UK.

“Some heavy rain or showers are possible at times, these most likely across southern parts of the country. Temperatures are likely to be widely above average at the start of this period before probably falling back and then fluctuating around average for the remainder of the period.”

Looking at early April, it adds: “Confidence is low, but blocked patterns are most probable for the first half of April.

“This can lead to slow-moving areas of low and high pressure and, depending on their location, can result in extended periods of either dry conditions or, perhaps more likely, wetter episodes in the form of rain or showers.

“Either way, whilst temperatures overall may be near average, given the time of year this type of regime tends to increase the chance of periods of below average temperatures at times.”