Temperatures will climb through the next fortnight with weekend highs of 23C expected

A dome of high pressure building in its shadow will keep the UK’s weather dry and warm into May.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “The jet stream is not close to the UK, and the main push of the jet stream is way up to the north, and much further north that we would expect.

“So, further south, it is a breeding ground for high pressure and that is going to dominate for the next 10 days.

“It is getting warmer still as we get into the weekend, with generally high pressure in control because the jet stream is further to the north.”

The driver for much of Britain’s weather, the jet stream usually flows close to the country, further north in summer and south in winter.

In its folds and loops forms high pressure, which pushes air high in the atmosphere towards the ground.

As it compresses, it warms, and this will boost temperatures through the coming days despite chilly easterly winds.

Mr Deakin said: “Not all warm spells in the UK are because the air is coming up from the south.

“The air is starting in the Atlantic and the reason it is warming is because the sun is getting stronger, but under high pressure the air is getting compressed, and that compression adds to the temperature rise.

“Temperatures are building as we go into the weekend, and perhaps in a few spots we could get to 23C.”

Runners pounding the capital’s streets this weekend for the London Marathon have been promised ‘ideal conditions’.

Although temperatures into the weekend are on the up the up, dry skies and light winds will make for a relatively comfortable slog through the city.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “As we go towards the weekend, there is a weather system getting close towards us, and there will be some outbreaks of rain, but sandwiched in between, there is a lot of fine weather.

As we go into Sunday, generally it is looking dry with light winds, and that is good news for anyone taking part in the London Marathon because conditions are looking pretty ideal.

“It is not going to be especially warm, and it is not going to be chilly, and the winds aren’t looking very strong, and it is looking dry, so conditions are looking great.”

As the mercury rises, bookmakers have taken the axe to the odds on April heat records tumbling.

Ladbrokes is offering 5-1 on warm weather over the next few days smashing the 29.4C record.

Spokeswoman Nicola McGeady said: “It seems a mini heatwave is on the way and punters are starting to believe this could be a month and year for the record books.”

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather, added: “With high pressure staying in control, it is going to feel very pleasant as we go into the last part of spring.”