Temperatures are set to rise in North Wales this week making the region hotter than Greece and Italy.
It looks set to get warmer as the weekend approaches with the mercury expected to hit 16C in Hawarden and Rhyl on Friday.
Forecasters said that the warm conditions are expected due to a jet steam which will dip sharply over the Atlantic dragging very mild air from the Azores.
The whole of the UK is expected to bathe in temperatures rivalling traditional hotspots including Sardinia in Italy which will be around 11C and Athens in Greece at 14C. While North Wales could also be the same temperatures as Ibiza and Corfu.
Record February highs are possible with some computer models suggesting it could reach 18C in some parts of the UK by Saturday - compared to a usual 9C for the time of year.
However, there is still some uncertainty in the forecast and temperatures will be dependant on exactly where the high pressure is positioned. Before then it will be less-mild with the risk of more unsettled conditions piling in from the Atlantic.
It's expected to be a mainly dry week in the north east of Wales although there could be some light rain in Rhyl today at 2pm and 7pm, and light showers are expected in Hawarden overnight on Tuesday.
There could be some heavy rain in the west of the region with rain arriving in Conwy between 1-2pm today and again at 6-7pm. Wednesday will also be a wet day.
Over in Gwynedd , there will be showers today and on Tuesday evening but it will be Anglesey that sees the worst of the weather.
Rain is expected in Holyhead between noon and 1pm today and again at 6pm with heavy downpours predicted to arrive from 3pm on Tuesday. There will also be showers between 9am and noon on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.
However, by Thursday skies will clear and temperatures will start to rise with highs of 15C expected in Flintshire.
The north east of the region will see the warmest temperatures this week with the mercury expected to soar to 15C in Wrexham on Friday and 16C in Hawarden and Rhyl. There will be highs of 15C in Bala, 14C in Conwy county and 12C in Holyhead.
There will be sunny spells and clear skies across North Wales for the whole weekend but temperatures will drop a couple of degrees to around 13C.
A spokesman for The Weather Channel said: “Higher pressure in the south will generally keep southern and southeastern areas mostly dry with sunny periods through this week. “Elsewhere, it will be cloudier, with rain in the northwest at times. “It will be mild, with temperatures mostly 3 to 6C above normal for the time of year.”
