UK weather: temperatures set to hit high teens this week leaving Britain hotter than California

Chance of warmest ever February day because of plume of warm air

Britain’s unseasonably warm weather is set to continue for the rest of month and could even break temperature records, according to forecasters.

Meteorologists said there was possibility that the country could experience its hottest ever February day, as plume of warm air from the Azores pushes temperatures into the high teens later this week.

Much of the country will be warmer than California, where highs of only 13C are due from midweek.

The Met Office said there was a chance temperatures will break the month’s 19.7C record high, set on 13 February 1998 in Greenwich, London.

The balmy spell will hold for the rest of month, despite turning slightly cooler on Monday and Tuesday.

“It does look like we will continue to see temperatures above average for the time of year,” said Met Office meteorologist Helen Roberts. “We did have a particularly warm spell in the last part of (last) week but overall so far this month temperatures have on average been above normal.”

Although much of the country has experienced temperatures in the mid teens in recent days, temperatures are expected to dip to 10C or 11C on Monday.

There is also a good chance of showers in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Tuesday will see similar temperatures but brighter conditions and on Wednesday highs are expected to climb to 15C and 16C again as a cold front clears.

As warm air pushes up from the Azores on Thursday and Friday, temperatures will rise into the high teens in some parts of the country.

Discussing the spring-like weather, Channel 4 meteorologist Liam Dutton said that there is a chance that Britain is set to experience the hottest February day on record.

“Signs that impressively warm air is likely to surge towards the UK and Ireland later next week. If it happens, there’s a chance that the record for the UK’s warmest February day (19.7C) could be challenged.”

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge also said there was “a chance” of record-breaking warmth before the end of the month.

A reading of 17.5C in Rhyl, north east Wales, on Friday was the highest so far this month and the fourth warmest February temperature in the past decade.

The mild winter weather also saw the warmest Valentine’s Day in more than 20 years on Thursday with a maximum of 16.1C recorded in the Welsh town of Bala, Gwynedd.