THOSE who have dug out their winter coats might want to keep a T-shirt handy, as a burst of autumn warmth is heading for the UK.
Following a cooler weekend driven by northwesterly breezes, the weather is set to take a turn – due in part to a hurricane that hit the US last week.
How could Hurricane Isaias affect UK weather?
Temperatures are set to rise above the October average this week, driven by a weather system that began thousands of miles away.
Over the weekend, Hurricane Isaias made landfall on the coast of Florida as a powerful Category 2 storm.
While it quickly weakened over land, the storm’s remnants are now moving out into the Atlantic.
As this low-pressure system moves across the ocean, it is set to merge with another weather front coming from Canada, before heading towards Iceland by Wednesday.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “Out in the Atlantic there’s another area of low pressure.
“Crucially, it is crossing the jet stream. When these weather systems do that, they often intensify.”
While the weather system is likely to bring some strong winds, it is also set to bring milder conditions than the UK typically sees at this time of year.
Deakin added: “Obviously, there’s a lot to happen between now and next Tuesday.
“It looks as if it’s going to go between the UK and Iceland, with the strongest winds on the southern flank. It could get very windy, but it depends on the exact track of it.”
How warm will it get in the UK?
This shift in wind direction means temperatures will increase to between 14C and 19C from Monday, exceeding the mid-October average of 12C to 16C.
By Tuesday, sunnier weather in the south and east of England could push temperatures into the low 20s, with the Met Office predicting highs of around 21C in London and East Anglia.
Thursday could also see temperatures exceed 20C in the South East, before a colder front arrives.
There are set to be some warmer evenings, too – Monday night could see parts of England experience highs of around 17C.
But despite the improved temperatures, it won’t be a week of uninterrupted blue skies.
The warm air brings trailing weather fronts, meaning most areas will see plenty of cloud and occasional spells of drizzle.
Heavier bursts of rain will sweep across the UK on Monday night and into Tuesday morning.
Wednesday will bring a sunnier but cooler start, before clouds and strengthening winds move into the Northwest, eventually bringing gales to northwest Scotland.
A band of rain will then sweep southeastward throughout Thursday.
What is the long-range Met Office forecast?
The warm spell will be short-lived, according to the Met Office.
By Friday, an area of high pressure will take charge, bringing cooler, clearer air and dropping temperatures back to normal for this time of year.
Between October 16 and October 25, the forecaster expects this high pressure to hold.
Expect settled, dry weather, but with the return of chilly, foggy, and frosty mornings.
Towards the end of the month and into early November, the weather is expected to shift to a more changeable pattern, bringing wet and windy conditions back to the north and west.