Record temperature on way

BRITS will enjoy a winter barbecue weekend as we bake in the hottest late February for 178 years.

Temperatures are set to reach 18C thanks to tropical air blown in 4,000 miles from the Caribbean.

Pub beer gardens will reopen for the first time in months as the UK enjoys a boozy weekend of Premier League football and and the resumption of the Six Nations rugby.

Supermarkets are braced for a rush on burgers, drinks and picnic food as millions ditch their winter coats and head for the great outdoors.

The February record of 19.7C, set in London in 1998, could finally be broken this month.

Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge said: “19.7C is the February record and we could get to 18C or 18.5C, with next week looking the warmest.

“It’s a warm, fine weekend with 17C temperatures spreading to more areas. We’re drawing up warm air from far south in the Atlantic.”

Weekend daytrippers are set to jam coastal roads as they head for beaches in Brighton, Dorset, Cornwall and Blackpool. Brian Gaze, from The Weather Outlook, said: “It will be warm enough for some to break out the barbecues this weekend, with incredible winter temperatures and sunshine.

“Highs could challenge the 19.7C record in coming days.”

Ice cream vans have already opened up this week as millions of families enjoyed half-term trips.

BBC weatherman Ben Rich said: “The jet stream has picked up really, really warm air from close to the Caribbean and is bringing it in our direction. “It is essentially tropical air.” Bookies say it is now odds-on that the UK will see the hottest day ever recorded in February.

Ladbrokes make it a 10-11 shot that 20C or higher is hit before the month is completely out.

The firm’s Alex Apati said: “The hot weather is going nowhere and it looks as though we’ll soon have a recordbreaking day on our hands.”

This month has already seen the hottest Valentine’s Day in 20 years as temperatures hit 16C in Bala, Gwynedd.