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Get out your flip-flops and dust off the barbecue as the UK weather is about to hit the high teens. The Met Office forecast highs of 19C in the southeast of England on Saturday. And the

warmer weather could be around to stay for even longer as forecasters say an African plume could be on the way. In fact, the mercury could hit 26C in April. The Weather Outlook's Brian

Gaze said: "With computer models strongly favouring a warm spring, there is potential for the record for the hottest spring to be challenged. "Highs of 26C are likely in April.

Plumes of warm air from Africa are expected. "And there is an increased chance of a hot and settled summer due to the trend for more high pressure, which brings hot conditions in

summer." WHAT IS THE HOTTEST APRIL ON RECORD? Last year saw record-breaking heat in April as the temperature soared to 29.1C in St James’s Park in London on April 18. The high beat a

70-year temperature record for the month since 1949. In the UK, the average maximum temperature for April is 11.9C. Ladbrokes have slashed odds on this spring being the hottest one on record

in the UK from 5/2 to 64. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "Brits have just enjoyed the first sunny weekend of the year and there's plenty more of where that came from if the latest

odds are anything to go by." WHAT HAS THE MET OFFICE SAID? The Met Office has confirmed a period of high pressure, usually signalling better weather, is on the way. Met Office

meteorologist Sarah Kent said: “It looks as though it will gradually become more changeable through the early part of next week and there will be showers in the north and some of these could

be heavy with thunder and hail and some strong winds. “Then we have high pressure starting to build predominantly across southern parts of the UK with the north remaining unsettled. “Fronts

will be battling against this high pressure and winds will come around from a northerly direction. “From next Thursday onwards and the further we go into April it looks like we will see a

more mobile period as the jet stream moves from north to south. “This can steer weather fronts and low-pressure systems our way, the wettest and windiest weather conditions are likely to be

in the north with the more settled weather across the southeast.”