A large area of high pressure will bring almost wall-to-wall sunshine over at least the next four or five days, with the mercury possibly hitting 28°C on Saturday. The average for late June is 20°C.
It will make Jersey as warm as the Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, and slightly hotter than parts of the south of France.
The sea temperature is also rising, and currently stands at 15.3°C.
The warm and dry weather comes almost exactly a year after Jersey enjoyed a week-long spell of sunshine and heat, as temperatures climbed to almost 30°C.
But Islanders are being urged to take care in the sun and apply plenty of sun cream, as UV levels are expected to hit a very high eight. And hay fever sufferers may be in for an uncomfortable week, with pollen levels also expected to be elevated.
Jersey Met forecaster Sharon Merren said: ‘High pressure over Britain is in charge of our weather and this will continue to bring dry and settled weather during the rest of the week.
‘It will also get progressively warmer and, although there is still some uncertainty over the forecast for the weekend, we could see 28°C by Saturday. If this happens, it will be the warmest day of the year so far.
‘The UV index will be high at eight – so we are advising people to take care in the sun.’
The UK Met Office, which issues 30-day forecasts for the British Isles, says the fine and settled weather could last well into next month.
For the period of 9 to 23 July, it states: ‘The most likely scenario is that we will see a good deal of dry and settled weather across many parts of the UK, with very warm temperatures likely at times.
‘There are some early indications that in the north and west, more changeable conditions could bring cloudier skies, and possibly some wet and windy weather at times.
‘There may also be some interludes of more unsettled, cooler conditions bringing some outbreaks of rain or showers across the rest of the UK at times, but these will be short-lived, with dry, fine weather likely for most of the time.’
