A TANTALISING taste of Spring is set to keep lifting spirits for many into the week ahead - although a return to wet and windy conditions with a risk of gales looms.
The blast of balmy air from the Americas currently bathing the British Isles will encourage temperatures to climb into double figures on Sunday, with some sunny spells for those in the east, however cloud will linger over western areas.
Between 10C (32F) and 12C (57F) can be expected across swathes of the country, possibly touching 13C (55F) in the east of England - well above the 7C (45) or 8C (46F) average for this time of year.
Temperatures are set to climb further still on Monday, when the mercury could hit 17C (62F) in parts of the south east, while Aberdeen could see highs in the mid-teens (60F).
However the brief respite from February's usually wintry mix will fade away as the week goes on, with strong winds and some gales forecast from Thursday.
Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: "We have a bit of an east/west split developing across the UK. Across eastern areas it will be a dry day with sunny spells at times, especially in the morning.
"The south east might start with some low cloud, mist and fog but that will lift and they will have a fine day.
"In the west and north west the cloud will be thicker and there will be increasing fog in the afternoon and later in the day.
"There will be drizzle at times in the west and rain will become more persistent over the west of Scotland, with it turning increasingly windy in the north."
On Sunday temperatures are expected to tip into double figures in Aberdeen and Cardiff with a high of 10C (32F), with 11C (53F) in Manchester and Newcastle, 12C (54F) in London and Belfast and 13C (55F) during the longest sunny spells in East Anglia.
On Monday conditions will be "exceptionally mild", with a 30% chance of 17C (62F) in the south east, thermometers could reach 15C or 16C (59F or 60.8F) in parts of southern and eastern England and Aberdeen.
Meanwhile Leeds, Bristol and Liverpool will reach 12C (54F), Birmingham 13C (55F) and Glasgow 11C (52F).
However it will be downhill from Tuesday as a front from Atlantic beats back the mild Caribbean plume.
"There will be a trend for temperatures to slowly come back down through the rest of the week, with a fairly unsettled picture developing," Mr Petagna said.
"Tuesday night could see gales in the north and north east of Scotland with gusts over 50mph, while almost any exposed areas across the UK will those gales on Thursday.
"At the moment they are not expected to be strong enough for it to become a named storm, but it will be blustery for many."
A taste of Spring is to come over the next fews days - see any signs? Send us your photos
A taste of Spring is to come over the next fews days - see any signs? Send us your photos
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here