Parts of the UK to be hotter than Ibiza this weekend

The mercury will hit highs of 18C in London and the south east as Sunday marks the hottest day of the year so far

London and the south-east are set to enjoy highs of 18C (AFP/Getty )

Parts of the country are still underwater but this weekend the UK is set to bask in temperatures higher than in Ibiza.

Areas of southern England are forecast to reach highs of 18C (64F), making them hotter than the Balearic party island, where the mercury will reach 16C (61F).

A combination of milder Atlantic air and clearer skies will bring sunny conditions and the warmest day of the year so far on Sunday, following highs of 14C in parts of London on 14 February.

The predicted temperatures are almost double the average 9C (48F) weather expected for this time of year.

The dry spell will no doubt come as welcome relief following the wettest winter on record in some parts, when the south-east and southern regions of England received more than twice their average rainfall – a combined total of 175.2mm, beating a previous record of 158.2mm in January 1988.

It is estimated that around 5,500 homes were flooded from the Somerset Levels to the Thames Valley during the severe weather.

But before you slap on the sun cream and whip out the shades, the mini heat wave will not extend to northern regions of the country. Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England can expect "changeable" and unsettled weather conditions, the Met Office said.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "High pressure building across the south of the country brings milder and more settled weather to the south and south east.

"The south east could see temperatures in the mid to late teens."