UK weather forecast: Plume of warm air could see hottest February day ever recorded

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Britain is set for another week of above-average temperatures with a possibility that the country could experience its hottest February day ever recorded, forecasters say.

It comes after a sudden break in the cold snap last week which resulted in the warmest Valentine's Day since 1988 and meant that the UK was hotter than Spain.

The Met Office predicted the mild conditions would continue into next week with temperatures rising to 14-15C in the south east and south west, compared to expected maximum temperatures of 8C for this time of year.

Forecasters said that it is "entirely possible" that temperatures could rise to the mid to upper teens in southern regions.

Channel 4 meteorologist Liam Dutton said that there is a chance that Britain is set to experience its warmest February day on record.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Dutton said: "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.

"For context, the same airmass in summer would give temps around 25-28C!"

The mild conditions much of the UK is set to experience are due to the band of warm air travelling up form the southwest, with the jet stream only running through the northern areas.

Met Office meteorologist John West told The Independent: "While we have forecast mild temperature across most of the UK, with the Atlantic in control the weather will be quite changeable and windy.

"Towards the end of February and beginning of March, there will probably be a good deal of dry and bright weather across the south and east.

"But it will be more changeable in the northwest, with the risk of gales, although some drier interludes are possible."