Weather maps show temperatures reaching 21C in London with sunny spells across the UK as warmer conditions return following recent variable weather
Sunshine is on the forecast for Cambridgeshire this week(Image: Karl Hendon via Getty Images)
The UK is preparing for another period of sunshine with temperatures climbing to 21C, following the recent ‘mini heatwave’. Weather maps from WXCharts, which utilise MetDesk data, indicate the warm conditions are expected to arrive across the country on by April 21.
Until then temperatures are expected to hang around 16C here in Cambridgeshire over the next week, with some sunshine expected on Monday (April 13), Thursday (April 16) and Saturday (April 18).
The South East of England is predicted to experience the highest temperatures, with London forecast to reach a peak of 21C at 6pm on April 21, and around 20C across Cambridgeshire, reports the Mirror.
On April 8, the Met Office confirmed that temperatures reached a record high for 2026, hitting 26.5C. Following these balmy conditions, temperatures have fallen with the possibility of snow and rain across much of the UK.
After the mid-twenties warmth experienced across much of the nation, Jim Dale, a forecaster for British Weather Services, said it won’t be long before conditions become even warmer – with “late spring” likely to see temperatures rise into the 30Cs.
A Met Office spokesperson said: “The southeast is likely to be driest and brightest. Later in this period, conditions may become drier and more settled, perhaps more especially in the north or northwest with the south possibly becoming the focus for showers or longer spells of rain.
“Temperatures will likely be near or slightly above average overall.”
The snowpack in the Okanagan is at its lowest level in at least four decades.
Newly released data from the B.C. River Forecast Centre shows a stark contrast across B.C. While northern and eastern regions are above normal, the Okanagan is sitting at just 58 per cent, a record low since tracking began in 1980.
“Of note in particular, the Okanagan had several very long-term stations at all-time record low measurements for April 1,” Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, said.
Since we’ve got a historical record of the snow basin indices, which start about 1980, it was the lowest snow basin index for the Okanagan at 58 per cent of normal and the previous was 1981 at 67 per cent. So in particular, the Okanagan is an area that highlights just how incredibly low it is this year compared to previous years.”
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The chair of the Okanagan Basin Water Board says as drought fears ramp up, so too does planning as the region braces for what could be a very dry summer.
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“Everybody’s talking about that,” said Blair Ireland with the Okanagan Basin Water Board.
“Every community is looking at how they’re going to put in water restrictions or what they’re going to do to address this drought.”
Okanagan drought concerns continue
A limited water supply could significantly affect daily life and have wide-reaching impacts on agriculture, tourism and the environment.
“Typically, what snow acts as is, it’s like a savings account, and it’s something that essentially saves that moisture to be released later in the season,” Boyd said.
“And if we have it all right now, that might mean that we’re in a deficit once we get into the later spring in June, or into the summer.”
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While a low snowpack is worrisome, it’s the amount of moisture in the coming weeks that will really be the deciding factor.
“Snowpack alone doesn’t necessarily guarantee drought one way or the other,” Boyd said. “The overarching weather conditions for the spring and the summer really are indicative of whether drought does or doesn’t occur.”
With spring’s potential to bring heavy rainfall, there is still a chance Mother Nature could help avert a drought disaster.
“I don’t own rain boots,” Ireland said.
“But I don’t care. I want to see it rain. I think we all do.”
A batch of exported urea fertilizers is being concentrated at the port for shipment at Yantai Port in Shandong Province, China on March 26, 2026.
Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images
An unusually powerful El Niño later this year could exacerbate food security fears as disruption caused by the Iran war strains supply for crucial fertilizer products.
Climate scientists warn it appears increasingly likely that a planet-warming El Niñowill take shape over the coming months, with U.S. meteorologists estimating a one-in-three chance of a “strong” weather event forming in October to December.
European climate models indicate an even higher probability of a very strong or “super El Niño,” although the so-called spring barrier means that these forecasts can be inaccurate.
El Niño — or “the little boy” in Spanish — is widely recognized as the warming of the sea surface temperature, which occurs naturally every few years. Such an event is declared when sea temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise 0.5 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.
A super El Niño, which doesn’t have an official scientific category, is understood to refer to an exceptionally strong phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), when sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific rise at least 2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Chris Jaccarini, senior analyst, food and farming at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said 2026 was shaping up to be another year in which conflict and climate risks have become a costly reality.
“Food prices are being squeezed from both sides: by climate extremes disrupting production in major growing regions, and by a food system still hooked on fossil fuels and therefore exposed to spikes in gas, fertiliser, transport and packaging costs,” Jaccarini told CNBC by email.
“That is why the prospect of a strong El Niño matters,” he continued. “It can turbocharge weather risks in a climate already destabilised by human emissions, compounding inflation driven by high fossil fuel prices.”
2026 might produce a super El Niño weather pattern. In that case, drought and limited water supply might be more important than shortages of nitrogen.
Paul Donovan
chief economist at UBS
Some commodities are particularly exposed to the weather event, with El Niño typically putting upward pressure on cocoa, food oils, rice and sugar, Jaccarini said. He also cited broader risks for other products linked to the tropics, such as bananas, tea, coffee, chocolate and soy-fed meat.
Expectations of El Niño’s return follow a multi-year La Niña event, which generally has the effect of lowering global temperatures compared to normal years.
Roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne fertilizer trade typically passes through the Strait of Hormuz, although shipping traffic has virtually ground to a halt since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
World leaders on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire although experts told CNBC that the agreement offers no clear path to peace and the disruption caused by weeks of strikes will have a lasting impact.
The price spikes for fuel and fertilizer come as the U.S. planting season begins in earnest, ramping up fears among U.S. farmers of elevated food prices and lower crop yields.
A general view of the Hong Kong skyline in fog on March 29, 2026 in Hong Kong, China.
Sawayasu Tsuji | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Every energy price spike inevitably stokes fears of higher food prices given that fertilizer manufacture is energy intensive and natural gas is used to produce some chemicals, according to Paul Donovan, chief economist at Swiss bank UBS.
“However, higher fertilizer prices may not be the biggest agricultural price threat this year, 2026 might produce a super El Niño weather pattern,” Donovan said in a note published in late March.
“In that case, drought and limited water supply might be more important than shortages of nitrogen,” he added.
Significant risks
Analysis published by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) last month warned that the number of food-insecure people across the globe could reach levels last seen at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
The WFP estimates that the number of people facing acute hunger could jump by 45 million if the Iran war persists beyond June and oil prices stay above $100 per barrel. This prediction would add to the 318 million people across the globe who are already food insecure.
Dawid Heyl, a co-portfolio manager for the global natural resources strategy at Ninety One, said the prospect of an El Niño event poses a risk to global food production, but the extent of this risk depends on when the climate phenomenon develops, how extreme it is and how long it lasts.
“I’ve been saying this to so many colleagues and anyone who would listen, but I wasn’t really concerned about Russia-Ukraine in terms of food inflation,” Heyl told CNBC by video call.
“I am a lot more concerned about [the Iran war] this time around, because of the impact on nitrogen, fertilizer production and availability,” Heyl said.
Asked about the prospect of a powerful El Niño event developing in the wake of the sprawling Middle East crisis, Heyl said: “If you get two negative factors like that combining then it could really be tough going.”
A tractor drips nitrogen fertilizer onto rows of romaine lettuce at Pisoni Farms near Gonzales, California, US, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The likes of India, Australia, Brazil and Argentina were all cited as countries that could be significantly exposed to El Niño, Heyl said, albeit for different reasons.
The European Union, meanwhile, said earlier this month that an El Niño event later this year threatens northwestern Ethiopia, South Sudan and Sudan with dry conditions, “posing a significant risk to the main agricultural season.”
Food security
For the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit’s Jaccarini, the answer to deepening food security fears lies in recognizing that risks to the global food system are not going away anytime soon.
“With traditional geopolitical partnerships under strain, international collaboration matters more than ever. Reducing food price volatility depends on reaching net zero together,” Jaccarini said.
“Climate finance from wealthy nations to producer countries with low climate readiness helps farmers adapt to climate impacts and protect crops and livelihoods,” he added.
Spring hasn’t quite sprung yet in Saskatchewan and the snow is back, with some areas of the province seeing more than 30 cm of accumulation, according to Environment Canada.
The Meadow Lake, Sask., area seemed to be hit the worst, seeing about 37 cm.
Saskatoon was hit with 16-20 cm, and Regina saw a light snowfall, with only a centimetre.
But with nice weather approaching, don’t expect it to last.
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“We are going to see this snow melt as daytime highs get into upper single digits, maybe even approaching double digits at times. So, lots of puddles and then at night we re-freeze.” said Peter Quinlan, Global News meteorologist.
“A little slippery and icy in the morning — you’ll need to take it easy — and then in the afternoons you’ll see that melting and ponding and pooling.”
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The morning saw the worst of it, with thick snow on major roads in Saskatoon as people were driving to work.
The city did not declare a snow event as they say there was around five cm in some areas and snow on priority streets was already melting off with sun and salt.
Saskatchewan RCMP reported 78 incidents on roads across the province from when snowfall started Tuesday until noon Wednesday. Saskatoon police, meanwhile, tallied 38 collisions.
RCMP say even though spring is technically here, drivers need to remember winter driving.
Watch the video above for more on what residents in Saskatoon are saying about the big snowfall.
Two months ago on Groundhog Day, life-sized mascot Balzac Billy predicted Alberta would get six more weeks of winter.
It was right — and then some.
On April 7, Edmontonians woke up to fresh overnight snow, making for a slower commute. This, after the existing winter snow accumulation hasn’t fully melted away yet.
Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Alysa Pederson said while we saw warmer-than-normal temperatures at the beginning of the year, cooler weather came back at the end of February and stuck around.
“In March, it was kind of above and below-normal, and all over the place. We are starting off April relatively cool from what we would normally suggest for springtime,” Pederson said.
April snow heading to Alberta
Still, people itching for spring are gearing up for warmer weather.
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At Salisbury Greenhouse in Sherwood Park, seedlings are growing and flowers are blooming. It’s a true escape from winter.
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Rob Sproule said while he is ready for warmer temperatures, snow later in the season is actually a good thing for gardeners.
“Looking at the amount of moisture we have been getting, it’s been snow, thaw, snow, thaw — and that’s wonderful. It gives you more moisture than the big snowpack,” Sproule said.
“Moisture that comes later in the spring, with a little thaw gets right into the roots and less of it flows off.
“It’s great moisture and it’s wet snow and it’s not going to stick around.”
It was a different story three years ago in 2023, when dozens of forest fires broke out across Alberta at the end of April and beginning of May.
Alberta’s forestry minister ensures firefighter retention, preparedness better than 2023 amid wildfire season
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It was the start of a record-breaking wildfire season in Alberta and the most destructive fire season in recorded Canadian history.
The total number of fires was in line with the five-year average of 1,100 for the 2018-2022 period, but the total area burned was a 10-fold increase over the 190,000-hectare average for the same period.
Over the 2023 season, 48 Alberta communities and more than 38,000 people were evacuated due to forest fires.
Canada as a whole saw a record-breaking wildfire season that year, when more than 6,500 wildfires burned 18.5 million hectares (46 million acres) — about five per cent of the country’s entire forest area and about double the size of Portugal.
All 13 provinces and territories were affected to varying degrees, with tens of thousands of people evacuated and at least four firefighters killed.
Sproule isn’t keen for a repeat.
“The dry conditions have gotten a little scary the last couple years, so I embrace this.”
Brace yourself, Canada: 10 to 30 centimetres of snow is expected to fall across a large region spanning from northeast B.C. to Ontario, courtesy of an Alberta clipper making its way across the country.
Alberta clippers are fast-moving, low-pressure systems that originate in Alberta, just east of the Rocky Mountains, tracks east- to southeastward across southern Canada and the northern United States.
Impacted areas of the Prairies —northeastern B.C.’s Peace region, a swath of Alberta north of Edmonton, in and around Prince Albert, Sask., and the Winnipeg area — are subject to yellow level snowfall warning alerts.
Environment Canada also issued special weather statements for Regina, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon stemming from the storm.
The system originated in west-central Alberta and is now bringing heavy snow across the Prairies.
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It will end shy of Thunder Bay, Ont., a meteorologist with the federal weather monitor explained.
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Heavy snow, mixed precipitation, and thunderstorms are in the forecast.
Northern Alberta is expecting around 15 centimetres, according to Environment Canada.
Central Saskatchewan and Manitoba should see a maximum of 20 centimetres of snow, and the Parklands region of western Manitoba is expecting 15-30 centimetres.
“Any of the snow-free areas will be covered tonight,” said Danielle Desjardins, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“It’s going to look much more wintery than we would expect – given that it’s already April.”
This snow will taper from west to east, and in areas where only a special weather statement was issued without a snowfall alert, high temperatures will melt the snow as it falls. This precipitation is expected to come down as rain.
“As the system tracks to the east, it’s going to drag in some much colder air and temperatures will decrease to below zero. So that rain’s going to switch over to snow tonight,” explained Desjardins.
The Prairies can expect more wintery weather to follow, Desjardins said.
“This time of year, we do tend to see these types of systems track through because they can tap into a lot more energy and moisture with the warm temperatures to the south and the arctic air still remaining to the north,” she added.
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“It’s still going to be a bit of a rollercoaster for the next week or so.”
Want your weather on the go? Download the Global News Skytracker weather app for Apple and Android.
Another spring snowfall, along with some freezing rain, helped make for some nasty driving conditions for many southern Alberta drivers on the Easter weekend.
Despite the day being a holiday for many Albertans, Calgary police responded to a total of 163 crashes, including 22 injury collisions, between midnight and noon on Easter Sunday and 67 more crashes, including three with injuries, between midnight and 8 a.m. on Monday.
Two people were sent to hospital with serious injuries and Calgary police shut down Crowchild Trail NW in both directions after a vehicle tumbled off the overpass at 16 Avenue Monday morning.
Global News
A crash near the intersection of Crowchild Trail and 16 Avenue Northwest resulted in a vehicle tumbling off the overpass onto the road below.
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Two people were sent to hospital with serious injuries and police were forced to shut down both northbound and southbound Crowchild Trail for several hours during the morning rush, while emergency crews removed the vehicle, which was flipped over on its roof, from the roadway.
Another bad crash, involving four vehicles at the intersection of 85 Street and 144 Avenue Northwest, sent five people to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and forced police to temporarily shut down 144 Avenue in both directions between 85 Street and Sarcee Trail.
Five people were sent to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after a crash involving four vehicles at the intersection of 85 Street and 144 Avenue Northwest around 7:30 a.m. on Monday.
Global News
Many of the crashes happened while the Calgary area was under both a freezing drizzle as well as a fog advisory for several hours Monday morning, making roads and sidewalks extremely slippery and reducing visibility.
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John Sibbins, a senior driving instruction with the Alberta Motor Association, said it’s important for drivers to be prepared for changing weather at this time of year — and drive to the conditions.
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“People do have that attitude (that) I’m a good driver. It’s the other drivers on the road that are causing collisions,” said Sibbins.
“So we have to take a step back if we’re thinking, yes, I am a good driver, but what can I do to help perhaps other drivers on the roads who aren’t as good as I am? What can I to help keep them safe on the route as well? So it’s always a case of making adjustments, accommodating, cooperating with other road users to do what you can to keep everybody safe on road,” added Sibbins.
While the snow may be unwelcome for many people, Global Calgary weather specialist MacKenzie Mazankowski said it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
“In Calgary and much of southern Alberta, the snowiest time of year is actually late winter into early spring rather than mid-winter.”
A graphy showing the normal monthly snowfall totals for the Calgary area.
Global News
“March and April typically see the highest snowfall totals, often around 17 to just over 20 cm each. That’s because temperatures are still cold enough for snow but there is more moisture in the air,” said Mazankowski.
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“Early winter months like November and December are also relatively snowy, while January and February are usually drier and produce less snowfall than many people expect.”
Another storm system, with more snow in the forecast, is expected to move through Alberta on Tuesday.
Global News
“A fast-moving weather system is developing today, bringing snow that will move east across Alberta. The heaviest snow is expected farther north, roughly between Peace River and Cold Lake, with about 10-15 cm possible, though amounts could vary and may be higher near the B.C. border,” said Mazankowski.
“The forecast is uncertain about exactly where the heaviest snow will fall and whether bursts of heavier snow could develop (so) officials are holding off on expanding snowfall warnings for now. The Calgary region looks to be getting the heaviest amounts Tuesday morning, though we’re talking maybe a centimetre of snow.”
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Large parts of Alberta are already under a variety of weather warnings, advisories or a special weather statement for Tuesday.
Global News
“Behind the system, a cold front could bring short periods of intense snowfall, especially in the mountains, and strong winds, with gusts up to about 70 km/h in parts of central Alberta and near Pincher Creek,” Mazankowski added.
The storm system is expected to move out of the area late Tuesday and the temperature for Friday and Saturday in Calgary is forecast to rebound into the mid-to-high teens.
A special weather statement issued for much of British Columbia’s southern coast and parts of Vancouver Island is warning of “strong and gusty” winds starting on Monday.
The notice from Environment Canada says wind gusts up to 70 km/h are expected to start late Monday afternoon and continue into Tuesday morning.
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It says a “vigorous” cold front will cross the South Coast on Monday, developing strong westerly winds in its wake.
The statement covers communities including Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria and east Vancouver Island as well as the Southern Gulf Island.
Environment Canada says strong wind gusts may toss loose objects and break tree branches.
The agency says both local utility outages and disruptions to services and travel are possible.
Sunbathing weather looks set to hit the county this weekend(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
People planning a day out in Cambridgeshire this Bank Holiday Monday might be able to enjoy the sun – but the warmer days could be later this week. Many people might be planning to get out and about, checking out the things to do in Cambridgeshire, and potentially meet up with friends or family.
The Met Office is forecasting a sunny Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures predicted to rise gradually from 15 to 18 and 22C over the few days. It could then be sunny intervals with temperatures and 16C and 15C on Thursday and Friday.
BBC Weather are forecasting similar conditions over the run of days. They forecast sunny intervals and a gentle breeze with temperatures around 14C on Monday, followed by a sunny Tuesday with possibly 17C warmth. Wednesday could be even warmer at 20C but with sunny intervals. Thursday and Friday are both forecast to be cooler (16C), but Thursday could see some light rain come to the region.
The Met Office’s East of England forecast for Monday, when temperatures could be for the region at 13C, states: “Starting chilly with a slight frost in places. A dry day to follow with variable cloud but also bright spells at times. Generally light winds, with near average afternoon temperatures.”
Turning towards Tuesday until Thursday, it adds: “Chilly start Tuesday, then fine with warm sunshine and breezier, but cooler where any onshore winds. Very warm sunshine Wednesday, cloudier later. Thursday, cooler and breezy with sunshine and showers.”
It comes after Storm Dave caused road closures and train disruptions on Easter Sunday morning.An amber wind warning covering parts of northern England, north-west Wales and southern Scotland was lifted at 3am. Three yellow warnings across parts of northern England, Scotland and Wales were lifted later in the morning.
The forecast is based on temperatures and conditions predicted for Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. Details were correct at the time of writing.
A large swath of southern Ontario is under a special weather statement as Environment Canada warns of heavy rainfall to start the Easter long weekend.
The federal weather agency issued the statement for regions like Toronto, saying total rainfall amounts of 25 to 50 millimetres is expected between Saturday morning and night.
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“A Colorado low will bring heavy rain to the area. The heaviest rain is expected to fall Saturday evening and Saturday night, with locally higher amounts possible in thunderstorms,” the statement reads.
“There remains some uncertainty where the highest rainfall amounts will occur. Rainfall warnings may follow as the event nears.”
Environment Canada added for information concerning flooding, local conservation authorities or the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources office will have the latest information.
