Sunny Easter but a wet summer ahead?

Warm weather and blue skies are expected to last until Monday in Luton and Dunstable with cooler temperatures on the bank holiday, according to Whipsnade weatherman Philip Eden.

The meteorologist told the Herald&Post: “It looks as though the fine weather will last right through the Easter weekend, though by Sunday and Monday there’ll probably be a bit more of a breeze, blowing from the east, which will pull the temperatures back a bit.

“For Thursday till Saturday highs in south Beds will be around 22-24°C, but more like 20-21°C on Sunday and 17-18°C on Monday. Even so, it will probably be our warmest and sunniest Easter since 1984.”

Statistics show that this month looks set to be the warmest April in 350 years of records.

The previous record for the hottest April was in 2007.

But Mr Eden warned that the early sunshine could mean summer rain.

He said: “The bad news is that the similarities with April 2007 are very strong, and we all know what followed – Luton Carnival cancelled, floods all over the place, one of the wettest summers ever.

“In fact there is quite a strong link between very dry Aprils and very wet summers.”

And for those neighbours hoping for a sunny day for the next bank holiday, April 29, the forecast is uncertain.

Mr Eden said: “We’re still nine days away, so any forecast should be taken with a barrel-load of salt ... but the computers are suggesting a break in the drought the day before the wedding, and conditions look like being rather more unsettled from then on. Will it rain on them? Can’t quite say yet.”