THE Met Office is predicting the unusually warm weather to continue in Cumbria across the weekend and into next week.

May is already on course to be the hottest on record, with more of the same predicted by the forecaster.

“It is pretty clear that the warm and sunny weather will continue into the weekend and the start of next week,” said Met Office forecaster, Bonnie Diamond.

“There will be plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures particularly in the north west of the UK.

“Cumbria could see some of the higher temperatures. It could see temperatures between 24C and 25C over the weekend.”

The nice weather is set to continue into Monday too, she said.

“Monday will be another warm but cloudy day, On Tuesday we start to see a gradual change in the weather with a front pushing in from the north, bringing cooler air and more clouds.

“Wednesday will still be on the warm side, with temperatures of 19C and 20C.

“During the latter part of the week, the temperatures will start to feel cooler and closer to the average for this time of year - about 15C.”

Meanwhile, there are no plans for hosepipe bans, according to the water industry trade body.

The spring drought has seen gardens wilt, farmers fret over parched crops and reservoir levels drop.

The Environment Agency (EA) said that most water companies have “appropriate” reserves, and it stressed its calls for people to use water wisely should not deter anyone from regular hand-washing as part of the fight against Covid-19.

But it confirmed United Utilities, the company which supplies water to Cumbria, has applied for a drought order to take supplies from Ennerdale Water in the Lake District to sustain supplies in west Cumbria.

If the dry weather continues, it has warned that it is likely that further actions will be needed across a larger part of the region.

A spokesman for Water UK, the trade association representing water companies, said: “There are no plans for any hosepipe bans this summer.

“It is always worth using water wisely, though, especially at the moment when people are spending more time at home.

“Taking a few simple steps to save water reduces the stress on the environment and the water network.”

An EA spokesman said: “We work closely with all water companies throughout the year to ensure their drought plans are up-to-date and activated as needed.

“At this time, most companies across the country have appropriate water reserves for this time of year.

“While dry weather since late March has led to a decline in some reservoirs, this is not unusual during a hot and dry spell, and they can recover quickly when the rain returns.”

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