Temperatures in eastern Scotland could exceed those in parts of the Mediterranean next week as a blast of warm air hits the UK.
The air mass is making its way over the Atlantic Ocean from Florida and parts of the Caribbean and is set to bring highs of up to 17C (62F) on Monday, the Met Office said.
Aberdeen, Wattisham in Suffolk and London are all tipped as likely locations for the highest temperatures, with the east of the country broadly enjoying the best of the warmth.
The rise could make parts of the UK among the hottest locations in Europe, following bouts of snow and freezing temperatures that took hold on the continent earlier this month.
Despite bringing British temperatures above the average 4-7C (39.2F-44.6F) for this time of year, the expected rise will not be record-breaking by official measures.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: “In terms of temperatures there may be isolated locations where temperatures reach 16C to 17C (60F to 62F) but more broadly it will be mild, with some of the warmest areas being the east and north east of the country.
“Although obviously above average, it’s not necessarily unusual.
“In February 2012, around 50 stations recorded temperatures of 17C (62F) and over and we’re not expecting that many to record the same next week.”
MeteoGroup said temperatures may only reach highs of 15C (59F), although this is likely to be enough to push the UK above parts of southern Europe, including the Balearic Islands and Sardinia.
MeteoGroup forecaster Tom Whittaker said: “Generally speaking, it’s going to be close, but we may see temperatures of 15C (59F), which could be higher than places like Palma in Majorca, and parts of southern France.
“It’s 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 remains that of 1998, when temperatures hit 19.7C (67.5F) in Greenwich, south east London.
