April 1 is set to bring a mini heatwave in many parts of the UK, with some areas seeing temperatures of 18 degrees Celsius, according to weather maps. Luckily for many, this is not an April Fools joke, as weather maps show the hot temperature band set to cover much of the country next week.

Weather experts, Netweather.com, believe that parts of Scotland and Lancashire are likely to see the best of the weather while other regions see temperatures in excess of 15C. A Met Office long-range forecast for the period describes similar conditions, with the agency expecting sunny spells with light winds. It said: “Into the first week of April, settled weather is expected to cover much of the UK.

“Most places are expected to be dry with clear or sunny spells and light winds.

“Some periods of unsettled weather could develop at times and if this happens any rain or showers are most likely to affect southern areas.

“Temperatures will likely be close to normal overall, though some cold nights are possible at times.”

The weather maps produced by Netweather.com show large parts of the country turned yellow and orange as warm weather engulfs the UK.

The warm spring weather looks set to be the catalyst for a period of more comfortable temperatures after months of cold and wet weather across the country.

A Met Office forecast for the middle of next month predicts “fine and dry weather” to be dominant throughout.

The forecast said: “Slow-moving (or blocked) weather patterns are most likely through the middle of April. High pressure located to the N of the UK will probably be dominant for much of the time, bringing a lot of fine and dry weather.”

The mini heatwave is a welcome addition to the British springtime, which has seen patches of warm weather already.

Last week, parts of the UK were projected to be warmer than Corfu and Ibiza as temperatures rose across the nation.

This weekend, clocks will go forward by 60 mins to make the most of daylight hours during the summer months by shifting an hour of sunlight from the early morning to the evening.