UK Weather forecast: Sunshine and blue skies set to continue this weekend before rain returns

Clear and sunny conditions set for the south, while the north will see some showers

Plenty of sunshine is predicted for the weekend with the fine autumn weather enjoyed by large parts of England is set to continue, forecasters have said.

The southeast of the country will bask in clear-blue skies and above-average highs of 23C on Thursday as temperatures rival some parts of the Mediterranean.

Most of Wales, the Scottish borders and the northeast of England will also remain unseasonably bright and warm, with highs of 19C seen as far north as Newcastle.

Although the temperatures are set to drop overnight and into Friday as a cold front pushes south, the Met Office said sunny spells would prevail across much of the UK on Saturday and Sunday.

Despite the dip in temperatures this weekend, with highs of around 17C, meteorologists said central and southern parts of the UK would see “plenty of sunshine”. The north of the country will see less settled conditions and will be windy at times.

“In the southern half of the country it’ll be largely clear and sunny, although perhaps a little chilly at night,” Met Office forecaster Richard Miles told The Independent. “The north of the country will see rain, however, with blustery showers in parts of Scotland."

Despite the brief spell of fine, late September weather, rain is expected to return as October begins next week. Although southern parts of the country will see some drizzle and plenty of dry, bright spells, rain showers will be more prevalent in the north. There is even a risk of gales in exposed areas.

Forecasters expect warmer-than-usual temperatures and more settled weather for the rest of the autumn season.

And despite reports that El Nino – a disruptive weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean – will bring “crippling” snowfall this winter, the Met Office has downplayed predictions of an unusually cold winter season.

However, the national weather service revealed “a weak to moderate strength El Nino event” was now “likely” later in the year.

Although it raised the possibility of icier-than-usual temperatures in the UK, forecasters said it was too early to tell how much snow would fall.

“An El Nino can create wetter and windier conditions in the first half of winter and it can bring a colder and drier second half, but El Nino is just one factor and others will vie to affect our winter,” said Professor Adam Scaife, the Met Office’s head of long-term predictions.