Sunderland set for soaring temperatures higher than Portugal before evening washout

The Met Office has forecast warm weather across Sunderland today, May 18, with highs of 20C and sunny spells.

Forecasters have predicted warm temperatures and sunny outbreaks this afternoon which will be hotter than Porto, in Portugal, with highs of 17C.

The bright conditions follow a wet start to the week, which saw significant rainfall, as well as thunder storms, across the region on Monday, May 16.

However, the glorious weather is not set to last, with heavy rain showers predicted to roll in later this evening and overnight, with thundery showers also possible.

The regional weather forecast for the North East said: "Dry, with warm sunny spells for most of the day. Increasingly cloudy and breezy through the evening as showers or longer spells of rain, locally heavy and perhaps thundery, spread northeast. Maximum temperature 21 °C.

"Showers or longer spells of rain, locally heavy and perhaps thundery, will clear eastwards through the early hours. Dry conditions with clear spells will follow, with winds becoming light. Minimum temperature 9 °C.”

Take a look at your hour-by-hour Sunderland weather forecast for Wednesday, May 18:

12pm: Sunny, 18C

1pm: Sunny intervals, 19C

2pm: Cloudy, 20C

3pm: Cloudy, 16C

4pm: Sunny intervals, 17C

5pm: Sunny intervals, 16C

6pm: Sunny intervals, 17C

7pm: Sunny intervals, 16C

8pm: Cloudy, 15C

9pm: Light rain, 15C

10pm: Heavy rain, 15C

11pm: Heavy rain, 14C

12am: Heavy rain, 14C