It's FAB-ruary! Britons hit the beach and bare their legs in blazing 64F sunshine as a kink means we can enjoy unseasonably warm weather for five MORE days

  • Britain is set for 'five fine days' of sunny and warm weather before it starts to get cooler again on Thursday 
  • Temperatures were warmest they had been in February since 1990 in parts of Wales with highs of 66F (19C) 
  • Yesterday Britain was hotter than Bermuda as the Met Office's weekend forecast highs climbed to balmy 18C
  • Met Office meteorologists said: 'It's pretty impressive considering we had Beast from East this time last year' 

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Britain is set to bask in five more days of warm temperatures and glorious sunshine - as the mercury reached a record-breaking 66F (19C) in Wales this afternoon.

Although patches of dense fog were seen in parts of central England, the West Midlands and in areas across Devon early today this mostly cleared through the morning to bright blue skies.

Temperatures this afternoon were the highest they had been in February since 1990 in parts of Wales as those in Cardiganshire basked in highs of 66F (19C) - in complete contrast to the end of February last year when the country was in the grips of the Beast from the East. 

While the previous record of 65F (18.6C) set in the rural south Wales village of Velindre took 29 years to be broken, forecasters said the new high may be surpassed again before the month is out.

Becky Mitchell, forecaster with the Met Office, said: 'South-easterly winds today are likely to have contributed to the temperature, as well as the natural geography of the area.

'But it could possibly get even warmer still. We're looking at similar temperatures over the next few days.' 

The good weather is set to continue into the new week with temperatures on track to hit the averages usually seen in late May when parts of the UK tend to enjoy a warm 14C to 18C (57C to 64F).

Members of the public relax on the beach in Brighton and Hove as unseasonably sunny weather hits popular seaside resort

Members of the public relax on the beach in Brighton and Hove as unseasonably sunny weather hits popular seaside resort

People enjoy a boat ride on the Serpentine in Hyde Park in central London as the capital basks in sunshine on February 24

People enjoy a boat ride on the Serpentine in Hyde Park in central London as the capital basks in sunshine on February 24

Paddle boarders enjoy the warm weather and calm seas off of Boscombe beach in Dorset today as the sun continues to shine

Paddle boarders enjoy the warm weather and calm seas off of Boscombe beach in Dorset today as the sun continues to shine

A person enjoys the sun and view of the city on the foreshore of the river Thames in London on a bright Sunday afternoon

A person enjoys the sun and view of the city on the foreshore of the river Thames in London on a bright Sunday afternoon

People leave the sea after a morning swim at Boscombe beach in Dorset today where temperatures are unseasonably high

People leave the sea after a morning swim at Boscombe beach in Dorset today where temperatures are unseasonably high

Two people explore the foreshore of the river Thames in London at low tide today where temperatures reached the mid teens

Two people explore the foreshore of the river Thames in London at low tide today where temperatures reached the mid teens

A women takes a picture of the crocuses at the Walsall Arboretum in the West Midlands today

A women takes a picture of the crocuses at the Walsall Arboretum in the West Midlands today

Dozens of people make the most of the dry and warm day by taking boat rides on the Serpentine in Hyde Park in London today

Dozens of people make the most of the dry and warm day by taking boat rides on the Serpentine in Hyde Park in London today

The jet stream forecast for Sunday shows air currents travelling around the top of Britain and Ireland - pushing cooler air away

The jet stream forecast for Sunday shows air currents travelling around the top of Britain and Ireland - pushing cooler air away

A meteorologist at the Met Office told MailOnline: 'On average temperatures will reach 57F (14C) today, with it being slightly cooler by coast, but some places will see highs of 18C making today a very nice end of February day.

'The weather is looking fine into next week with plenty of sunshine on the way. Britain can expect five fine days before things start to turn and it becomes a little cooler on Thursday.

'This is in complete contrast to last February when the country was in the grips of the Beast from the East and there was snow on March 1.'

After soaking up the sun to end the weekend, some in the Western Isles and North of Scotland might see patches of rain on Monday but it is not thought that this will be wide spread. 

Many people further South or in the East of England might wake up to fog on the way to work tomorrow morning, but it should clear quite quickly. 

The UK was warmer than Barcelona this morning, where temperatures have hit 11C (51F) and is just as warm as Benidorm.

Yesterday Britons basked in the unseasonably warm sun as temperatures hit highs of 70F (21C) - making the UK hotter than Bermuda. 

Thick fog caused travel chaos and airport delays across Britain in the morning before the mist cleared and made way for a very warm weekend. 

Two women sunbath in Hyde Park, London, today. The weather is expected to say sunny for five more days until Thursday

Two women sunbath in Hyde Park, London, today. The weather is expected to say sunny for five more days until Thursday

Two yellow fog warnings are in place for parts of Devon and across the West Midlands into Yorkshire this morning

Two yellow fog warnings are in place for parts of Devon and across the West Midlands into Yorkshire this morning

A jogger runs through a foggy Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham this morning where it is expected to be foggy until lunchtime

A jogger runs through a foggy Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham this morning where it is expected to be foggy until lunchtime

The sun rises behind Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire today as much of the UK enjoys a mostly sunny and warm weekend

The sun rises behind Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire today as much of the UK enjoys a mostly sunny and warm weekend

The sunshine is expected to last for five days before temperatures become cooler again on Thursday and Friday

The sunshine is expected to last for five days before temperatures become cooler again on Thursday and Friday

Richard Sullivan practices his juggling near the London Eye on the South Bank under a bright blue sky today

Richard Sullivan practices his juggling near the London Eye on the South Bank under a bright blue sky today

People take a walk on the beach and one person goes for a surf at Boscombe beach in Dorset, today

People take a walk on the beach and one person goes for a surf at Boscombe beach in Dorset, today

Two people fish at the end of Boscombe Pier in Dorset as the sun continues to shine down throughout Sunday

Two people fish at the end of Boscombe Pier in Dorset as the sun continues to shine down throughout Sunday

Members of the public relax on the beach in Brighton and Hove as sunny weather hit the seaside resort yesterday afternoon

Members of the public relax on the beach in Brighton and Hove as sunny weather hit the seaside resort yesterday afternoon

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for fog in the south east and south west England and flights were grounded at London City airport.  

Forecasters said the country would experience slower journey times with visibility below 100 metres until the mist lifted at around 10.30am. 

Temperatures around the 70F mark are more than twice as high than average for February. 

Forecasters say there will be 'plenty of sunshine' through to Sunday as an area of high pressure continues to dominate the UK.

On Saturday morning there was a 17 degree difference between the north of Scotland which remained and the south of England being colder.  

Some parts of northwest Scotland remained above 14 C throughout Friday night - a temperature usually expected in during June in the daytime, forecasters say. 

Daytrippers are rushing to beaches and congesting coastal roads including the A23 to Brighton, A31 to Dorset, A30 to Cornwall and M55 to Blackpool.

A Brighton beach spokesman said: 'Visitors are in T-shirts. We're busy.'

Supermarkets are set for an out-of-season 'BBQ weekend' rush for burgers, drinks and picnic food, while pub beer gardens reopened in winter.

Warm air is coming to Britain from Morocco, crossing Spain and France as air pollution levels hit high from today - triggering warnings for people with asthma, lung or heart problems and the elderly. 

Visitors to Cambridge make the most of the unseasonably warm weather yesterday by taking punts on the city's famous rivers

Visitors to Cambridge make the most of the unseasonably warm weather yesterday by taking punts on the city's famous rivers

A woman reads her book in St James's Park yesterday morning as temperatures hit as high as 70F (21C)

A woman reads her book in St James's Park yesterday morning as temperatures hit as high as 70F (21C)

Locals take to the beach in Bournemouth to soak up the unseasonably hot rays

Locals take to the beach in Bournemouth to soak up the unseasonably hot rays

Both tourists and locals took to Brighton Pier in their droves yesterday as temperatures soared to 70F  

Both tourists and locals took to Brighton Pier in their droves yesterday as temperatures soared to 70F  

Seagulls flying in the fog in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington in north London. Thick fog  caused travel chaos and airport delays across Britain yesterday before the mist cleared to make way for the warmest weekend of the year

Seagulls flying in the fog in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington in north London. Thick fog caused travel chaos and airport delays across Britain yesterday before the mist cleared to make way for the warmest weekend of the year

A man walks though fog on Blackheath, in south east London as a yellow weather warning for fog was been issued for parts of the south east and south west
A man walks though fog on Blackheath, in south east London as a yellow weather warning for fog was been issued for parts of the south east and south west

A man walks though fog on Blackheath, in south east London yesterday as a yellow weather warning for fog was been issued for parts of the south east and south west

The mild weather is a marked contrast to the low temperatures and snow brought by the Beast from the East just 12 months ago. 

There will also be a be a band of rain sweeping in from Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland with patchy rain coming in to Cumbria.

Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall said: 'It's exceptionally mild for the time of year. It's pretty impressive bearing in mind this time last year we were talking about the Beast from the East. What a difference 12 months makes.'

Forecasters expect low cloud and fog affecting eastern, southern and central parts of England late on Friday to gradually clear overnight, giving way to sunny spells and dry conditions on Saturday afternoon.

Temperatures will be mild, possibly reaching highs of 65F - 70F in northern and western parts of Wales.

Northern Ireland and west Scotland will be also affected by a band of cloud and rain which will become light and patchy as it moves eastwards.

North-west Scotland could be windy and there is low risk of some coastal gales in the far north west.  

On Saturday morning there was a 17 degree difference between the north of Scotland  and the south of England being colder

On Saturday morning there was a 17 degree difference between the north of Scotland and the south of England being colder

A dog walker enjoys the early morning sunshine as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast yesterday

A dog walker enjoys the early morning sunshine as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast yesterday

Rowers take one of Bridport's racing gigs out to sea from West Bay harbour in the early morning sunshine yesterday as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast

Rowers take one of Bridport's racing gigs out to sea from West Bay harbour in the early morning sunshine yesterday as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast

The Met Office said a touch of frost could arrive in areas across the far north and the south east of England.

But from Sunday morning areas of cloud and fog will clear, bringing what is expected to be another dry day with the best of the sunshine being across the South East.

Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-teens, particularly in sheltered parts of north and west Wales, Devon and around the Moray Firth.

The settled, sunny and generally dry weather is set to continue across England and Wales into the earlier part of next week, with some overnight fog likely.

It may be windier and more changeable in the far north west.  

The average temperatures in England for February 2019 so far stand at 9.2C (48.6F), against the normal average of 7.1C (44.8F).

The current figure places this month as the ninth-warmest February since records began in 1910.

But the all-time February record average daily temperature of 10.3C (50.5F), recorded in 1998, is in sight should the warm conditions continue.

The only areas likely to miss out on the sunshine, which will be hazy at times, are the far West, which could be cloudy with some patchy rain today FRI, and the far north-west of Scotland, where it could be wet and windy at times.

A dog walker enjoys the early morning sunshine yesterday as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast

A dog walker enjoys the early morning sunshine yesterday as the temperature rises at West Bay on the Dorset coast

A warm airstream is bringing exceptionally high temperatures to Britain this weekend, with hot air coming up from the Caribbean 
Aultbea peaked at 16.5C last night

A warm airstream is bringing exceptionally high temperatures to Britain this weekend, with hot air coming up from the Caribbean (left) while Aultbea peaked at 16.5C last night

Two women stroll down the steep path to Chesil Beach, on a sunny but cold day for Portland in Dorset, UK yesterday

Two women stroll down the steep path to Chesil Beach, on a sunny but cold day for Portland in Dorset, UK yesterday

A surfer catches a wave off Chesil Beach, Portland, on a sunny but bitterly cold day in Dorset yesterday

A surfer catches a wave off Chesil Beach, Portland, on a sunny but bitterly cold day in Dorset yesterday

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