2018 London Marathon: Unseasonable warmth, sunshine to greet runners

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

April 17, 2018, 11:53:09 AM EDT

The warmest days of the year so far are forecast for London later this week, and that warmth is expected to last into Sunday for the London Marathon.

The 38th running of the London Marathon will be a stark contrast to the Boston Marathon which took place on Monday amid heavy rain, strong winds and temperatures near 5 C (41 F).

Temperatures will be unseasonably high as warm air from Africa and the Mediterranean settle over the United Kingdom through this weekend.

A high temperature of 20 C (69 F) is forecast for Sunday in London with a temperature near 14 C (57 F) at the start of the day’s events.

While spectators will enjoy the warmth and sunshine, racers would rather have more seasonable temperatures for the event. The normal high in London on April 22 is 14 C (57 F).

Wind is not expected to play a significant role in the race as east to southeast winds of 6-12 mph (10-19 km/h) are forecast through the early afternoon. Occasional gusts to 20 mph (32 km/h) are possible during the afternoon.

RELATED:
United Kingdom Weather Center
MinuteCast® for your location
Interactive United Kingdom weather radar

Events will get underway at 8:55 a.m., local time, with the elite wheelchair class and finish up at 10 a.m., local time for the elite men and mass start.

Her Majesty The Queen will be the official starter for the race this year, according to the London Marathon’s official website.

Approximately 40,000 runners are expected to take part in the event that runs from Blackheath to The Mall alongside St James’s Park.

While dry weather is forecast for the event, a storm approaching from the west could cause a shower during the evening, which could impact any post-ace celebrations.