Easter Sunday has been tipped to be the warmest day of the year so far in the UK, with highs of up to 18C (64.4F) expected in parts of Britain. The Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said there would be “plenty of fine weather” on Good Friday with a frosty start in places but sunny skies for the vast majority. Friday could bring temperatures of 15-16C in the south and 12-14C further north. McGivern added that low cloud and mist could bring cooler temperatures of 10C to 11C to areas on the North Sea coast. The warmer dry weather may not last, however, with the bank holiday Monday expected to be wet. The Met Office has also advised gardeners to consider protecting any tender plants or bring them inside on Thursday as a “damaging frost” is possible overnight, particularly in rural areas in the west. On Saturday, the vast majority of the UK can expect spells of sunshine after a frosty start, with highs of 14C to 16C. McGivern said Easter Sunday would also start off with plenty of fine weather despite “a bit more cloud in the sky”. He said: “Bright or sunny spells will make it feel very pleasant indeed, with temperatures potentially reaching 18C across parts of the Midlands into Wales and the south-east, mid-teens fairly widely elsewhere away from the North Sea coast, although parts of Norfolk into Yorkshire could feel a bit warmer.” The highest temperature recorded in 2023 so far is 17.8C, on 30 March in Santon Downham, Suffolk. Another Met Office meteorologist, Tom Morgan, told the PA news agency: “It’s probably going to be Sunday if we see the warmest day of the year so far. It will turn much more unsettled for Bank Holiday Monday, unfortunately.”