It’s the hottest day of the year so far, the Met Office has confirmed - and it’s going to get warmer as the Easter weekend continues.

       The forecaster said the mercury had hit 22C in St James’s Park in London today, adding that it expected the temperature to climb further, to 23C, over the next few hours.

       Previously the Met Office had advised sun-seekers to “make the most of the weekend” for Easter activities as “Monday is looking at more average temperatures and wetter”.

       Good Friday was expected to bring the height of the fine weather over the weekend, brought by a warm southerly airflow over the UK.

       People flocked to parks and beaches to enjoy the sun, and travel chaos was not as bad as initially feared, despite large traffic jams in some areas of the country.

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       Large traffic jams were present on the M20 in Dover due to as P&O Dover-Calais services remained suspended, with some travellers complaining they missed their ferries after waiting for hours.

       Visitors to Wanstead Park in northeast London among this year’s bluebells

       (PA)

       Met Office meteorologist Steven Keates said highs of up to 23C were expected in London, breaking the record of 20.8C last month.

       But the warm weather will not be limited to the south, with the mercury predicted to reach the high teens in northern areas, including Yorkshire and parts of Scotland.

       The beach at Bournemouth was busy as the weekend began

       (PA)

       Mr Keates said although there may not be uninterrupted blue skies, most areas of the UK would enjoy sunny spells and high temperatures.

       He urged beach-goers to “stick on the sunscreen” and drink plenty of water to protect against higher-than-average UV levels.

       Freight lorries and HGVs queued on the M20 towards Dover

       (AFP via Getty Images)

       The strength of UV rays could hit 6, which is considered high on the Met Office’s index.

       This increase has been caused by slightly depleted stratospheric ozone, which helps protect Earth from the rays, he said.

       Good Friday beach-goers soaked up the son

       (PA)

       Naturally occurring reactions in the atmosphere as well as man-made emissions both contribute to the phenomenon, which is usually temporary, the forecaster added.

       He said: “It’s a naturally fluctuating cycle, in part not helped by human emissions. There will be a short-term, slight depletion (in stratospheric ozone)... and the sun gets stronger in mid-April as well.”

       It was warm enough for paddleboarding

       (PA)

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       But the higher temperatures brought a warning for hayfever sufferers, as the Met Office’s pollen count was forecast to be high across all of England throughout Good Friday and the weekend.

       Edmund King, president of the AA, said roads would be busier than usual this Easter because of the hot weather, lack of trains and an increase in “staycations”.