Temperatures could soar to 21C - as sunshine arrives

Temperatures could climb as high as 21C in parts of Britain on Wednesday, as south-easterly winds bring warmer conditions to England and Wales.

  Forecasters are predicting warm and sunny conditions for the south of the country on Wednesday and Thursday, with a front, the boundary separating two distinct air masses, lying across the UK bringing rain and cloud to Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Met Office said it would drag in warm air from the south and south-easterly direction, which will cause temperatures to rise "markedly" on Wednesday, with highs of 22C not to be "ruled out".

The temperatures, which are higher than typical temperatures for March, could make Wednesday the warmest day of the year so far. Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said the weather system would see the UK's west experience the highest temperatures, with plenty of sunshine in store for the rest of the week.

"High pressure developing to the east of the country accounts for the soaring temperatures this week," she said. "Drawing a warm south-easterly wind, sheltered parts of the west could see daytime highs of 20 or 21C today, that's 70 Fahrenheit; significantly higher than expected at this time of year.

"There's plenty of sunshine in the forecast for the rest of the week, although temperatures will drop off by a few degrees, whilst remaining above average." Ms Wheeler said temperatures would cool in the south later in the week, with the north seeing more wintry conditions and showers. "Despite the warm days, the nights will be chilly with frost and fog likely in places," she said.

"As we pick up a greater easterly component, cloud chasing will become a larger part of the forecast. "For today, it's southern Scotland and north-eastern England that will remain rather dull and cool with some patchy drizzle, but eastern coasts will be more vulnerable to coastal cloud in the coming days.

"A rain belt moving through on Sunday and Monday is likely to return wintry showers to the north." Read more from Sky News:Meningitis outbreak being treated as national incidentWidow prosecuted over dead husband's £35 car tax bill Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the highest temperatures on Wednesday would be seen in western Wales and north Devon. "The best of the sunshine, almost wall-to-wall blue skies, will be across the bulk of England and Wales, and with that sunshine and that warm air … temperatures are going to rise," he said.

"We're going to see them getting into the high teen Celsius, and because of the wind direction, towards northern and western parts of Wales, north Devon, we're looking at 20, 21 Celsius, 22 can't be ruled out." Meanwhile, Scotland will see cooler temperatures on Wednesday, ranging between 11 (52F) and 13C (55F) and Northern Ireland will see highs of 10C (50F) to 11C (52F). After a chilly start on Thursday, much of the UK will have a warm and sunny day with light winds, with cloud over Scotland and northern England, the Met Office said.

Conditions will remain largely dry with some sunny spells on Friday and heading into the weekend, with some rain in Scotland on Saturday and Sunday. More unsettled conditions will return late on Sunday and into next week, when an Atlantic frontal zone will arrive in the UK..