UK weather: Parts of Britain 'to be hotter than the Algarve' in April mini heatwave

Brits are set to bask in sunshine - with scorching temperatures set be higher than the Algarve, according to new weather maps and forecasts. A high pressure system has been sitting over the country this week bringing blue skies and balmy conditions.

It's possible that the mini could peak on Friday with the mercury rising up to 23C. maps from WXCharts show the UK turning red and the country is set to be warmer than the Algarve in . While it will be hot during the day, it will still be cold overnight, and the has said under clear skies in the temperature could drop to as low as -4C in some glens.

And with the possibility of 23C, Met Office forecaster Tom Morgan said that we could see the warmest day of the year. He said: “By the end of the morning it should generally be dry across many places and it is a lovely day on offer once again for the vast majority, lots of spring sunshine.

READ MORE:

"A bit more in the way of patchy low cloud developing perhaps across northeastern parts of Scotland, a bit of haar coming off the coast and even maybe northeastern parts of England through the afternoon as well.

"But otherwise lots of sunshine and that sunshine really lifting temperatures so another warm day to come, particularly for western areas out of that easterly breeze, temperatures as high as 23C so perhaps the warmest day of the year so far.”

So far the hottest day was March 20 where the mercury rose to 21.3C in Chertsey, Surrey and Northolt, London, with the Met Office saying that last month was the sunniest since records began in 1910.

The warmest weather on Friday is expected to be in the south of the UK including London, Reading, Oxford and Cambridge.

At the same time in Wales, Cardiff and Carmarthen could see 21C while it will be cooler in Scotland where temperatures may struggle to get more than 11C.

The Met Office has also issued an amber wildfires warning for parts of England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland until Monday, as conditions are dry with strong winds.

And the forecast from the weather agency for the weekend is for more sunshine although slightly lower temperatures. It predicts for Saturday to Monday: "Generally fine and settled over the weekend and into next week with warm sunshine.

"Some low cloud possible across the northeast at times. Still breezy in the southwest. Cooling down."

Met Office weather outlook Friday:

Showers in the west dying out during the morning, but dry elsewhere with warm sunshine. Breezy in the south and west, and feeling cooler along North Sea coasts.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Generally fine and settled over the weekend and into next week with warm sunshine. Some low cloud possible across the northeast at times. Still breezy in the southwest. Cooling down.