WINTER months are officially over and now Brits can look forward to a heatwave as early as next month, if forecasts are anything to go by.

2022 is set to be one of the hottest years on record with the Met Office predicting temperatures will be among the warmest since 1850.

Warm weather could return as early as April with temperatures expected to go as high as 28 degrees.

April temperatures are expected to be “much higher” than the average this year and climate change has been highlighted as one of the biggest reasons.

This year is set to be the eighth successive year where temperatures will exceed 1.0C above pre-industrial levels.

The Met Office global temperature forecast for the coming year is slightly lower than some previous years since 2015 - the hottest year on record.

Experts say La Niña in the tropical Pacific is influencing global average temperatures.

Met Office scientist, Dr Nick Dunstone said: “Global temperature has been slightly suppressed during 2021 because of the cooling influence of La Niña in the tropical Pacific.

"With another La Niña now underway, making this a so-called ‘double-dip’ La Niña, it is not surprising that we are forecasting another relatively cool year for global temperatures when compared with the run of years since 2015.

“However, it is still likely that 2022 will be above one degree and hence continue the series of warmest years for global temperature since 1850.”

UK could see 28 degree temperatures amid April heatwave

Weather forecaster Jim Dale told the Express that the UK can expect hot weather to arrive “fairly early” this year.

He said he “wouldn’t be surprised to see 26 degrees, 27 degrees, 28 degrees in the middle of April.”