An Indian summer will warm Britain up this weekend after an unsettled spell of stormy weather.
Calm, sunny days with highs of 75F (24C) are expected in central regions and the South-East after Storm Aileen brought 83mph winds and rain last week.
The warmer temperatures will put us on a par with Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona and Rome.
As the fine conditions began to take hold yesterday, tourists were out punting on the River Cam in Cambridge, on what was technically the last day of summer.
Although western areas will be affected by cloud and rain at times, other areas may experience summery weather into next week, forecasters say.
People enjoyed the early morning fog near the River Cam in Cambridge as Britain woke up to the first morning of Autumn
Rowers trained under the sun rise on the River Cam as the country prepares to bask in an Indian summer
A runner jogged past a cow as mist formed a blanket over Cambridge on the day of the autumn equinox
A low lying mist surrounded the village of Corfe Castle in Dorset, as dawn broke on the day of the autumn equinox
According to the Met Office, some parts of the country are due to bask in highs of 24C over the next three days. The warmer temperatures will put us on a par with Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona and Rome
The Met Office said it is not unusual to have warm periods at this time of year but warned temperatures will not come close to the 93F (34C) recorded last September.
A forecaster said many parts of the country can expect to bathe in highs of 70F (21C) over the weekend.
They added: ‘On Saturday there will still be bits of patchy rain and drizzle in the south west. There will be a fairly cloudy start to the day, apart from in the very north of Scotland.
‘The skies will clear across the south and central of the country. Unfortunately there will be another band of rain from the west later on Saturday afternoon.’
Top temperatures are expected to hit 21C (70F).
Cloud and some patchy light rain will linger early on Saturday but is due to clear, leading to another dry and fine day apart from the risk of ‘a few light showers’ in Wales and the Midlands.
They added: ‘There will be a fairly cloudy start to Sunday and although it will be a little bit warmer, it’s not going to be stand out. We’ll have top temperatures of around 22C (71F).
‘It won’t be groundbreaking but it will be pleasant, especially in the south east where it will be dry and fine with bright spells.
‘Monday will see a band of rain moving in but it will make slow progress because of high pressure in the east and lower pressure in the west.
‘The east and south east will be pretty much dry through Sunday and Monday with bright and warm conditions.
‘There will be top temperatures of 21C (70F).’
Calm, sunny days with highs of 24C (75F) are expected in central regions and the South-East after Storm Aileen brought 83mph winds and rain last week. The sun was pictured rising behind Corfe Castle in Dorset yesterday
The warmer temperatures will put us on a par with Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona and Rome. The River Cam in Cambridge was covered in a blanket of fog yesterday morning
Although western areas will be affected by cloud and rain at times, other areas may experience summery weather into next week, forecasters say. The village of Corfe Castle in Dorset was pictured at dawn yesterday
Whitley Bay in North Tyneside basked in shadow moments before the sun rose on the day of the autumn equinox
The Autumnal Equinox yesterday officially marked the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Rowers made the most of the early morning sunshine on the River Cam in Cambridge
A forecaster said a weather front on Sunday will bring rain in the West, where temperatures will be somewhat cooler.
He added: ‘It is not certain about how far east that weather front will progress into next week. It may stagnate in the West and peter out, leaving the South and East to continue with the dry and warm weather on Monday and into Tuesday.’
The Autumnal Equinox yesterday officially marked the end of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
The warmest temperature of the month so far was 23.8C (74.8F), at Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, on September 4.
Last year, 34.3C (93.9F) was recorded at Gravesend, Kent, on September 13.