Unseasonable 26C blast of warmth to hit parts of UK over weekend

The average October temperature for the country is 13C.

An “unusual” blast of 26C warmth will hit parts of the country (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

An “unusual” blast of warm October weather is set to hit parts of the UK over the weekend.

Areas in England and Wales will bask in sunshine and warm temperatures far higher than the country’s usual average of 13C for the month.

Expected highs of around 26C on Sunday, according to forecasters, mean the country will be warmer than Los Angeles in California and European beach destinations such as Mykonos in Greece.

Meanwhile, large parts of Scotland will see heavy rain from Friday and over the weekend.

Forecaster Greg Dewhurst, of the Met Office, said: “It’s been very hot in Europe over recent days and that warm air is going to drift in across quite a bit of the country on Friday and the weekend.

“There is heavy rain across parts of Scotland so it’s not everywhere that will see the warm spells of sunshine.

“Temperatures on Friday should reach highs of around 22C, Saturday around about 25C and then Sunday around 26C, which we last saw in October in 2018.”

He added: “It’s not unheard of, but it’s on the unusual side.”

The hottest temperature recorded in the UK in October was in 2011 in Gravesend, Kent, where temperatures reached 29.9C.

It comes after the UK’s joint warmest September on record last month, which saw a 15.2C average mean temperature, equalling the previous record set in 2006.

A heatwave affected much of the country early in the month, with temperatures peaking at 33.2C at Kew Gardens in London on September 9 – the hottest day of the year.