Blast of Caribbean heat destined for UK – The Guardian

After snow and freezing temperatures, the UK will feel more like the Caribbean next week. Photograph: Greg Johnston/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images

A blast of Caribbean hot air could push UK temperatures above those of Menorca, Mallorca and Sardinia next week, and continue the unseasonable warmth of the past few days, as parts of the UK prepare for highs of 17C (63F) on Monday.

The warm cloud is making its way over the Atlantic Ocean from Florida and parts of the Caribbean, and is expected to reach the UK over the weekend, the Met Office said.

Aberdeen, Wattisham in Suffolk and London are all likely locations for the highest temperatures, with the east of the country broadly enjoying the best of the warmth.

The UK could be among the hottest locations in Europe, after bouts of snow and freezing temperatures earlier this month.

Despite British temperatures being above the average 4C to 7C for this time of year, the higher temperatures are not likely to break official records.

The Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: In terms of temperatures, it is going to be about 16C to 17C, and more broadly, it will be mild across the east and north-east of the country.

Although obviously above average, its not necessarily unusual. In February 2012, about 50 stations recorded temperatures of 15C and over and were not expecting that many to record the same next week.

Claydon said the warm spell is expected to last into the middle of next week, before turning cooler into next weekend.

It should be continuing through next week, but not necessarily through to the temperatures seen on Monday, he said.

MeteoGroup said temperatures may reach highs of only 15C, although this is likely to be enough to push the UK above parts of southern Europe, including the Balearic Islands and Sardinia.

The MeteoGroup forecaster Tom Whittaker said: Generally speaking, its going to be close, but we may see temperatures of 15C, which could be higher than places such as Palma in Mallorca, and parts of southern France.

Its likely to be warmest in the east, south-east and eastern parts of Scotland, to the east of the Highlands.

The hottest February on record was in 1998, when temperatures reached 19.7C.

Read the original post:

Blast of Caribbean heat destined for UK - The Guardian