New weather maps show temperatures soaring to highs of 25C in parts of Britain on October 6, with 21 counties and areas forecast to reach 23C or above.
Warmth builds through the afternoon
The latest Netweather charts indicate the warmth beginning to build by midday, when large parts of southern and eastern England are shown reaching highs of between 22C and 24C, with some of the highest temperatures towards the south.
The heat then intensifies through the afternoon, with pockets of 25C appearing across southern England by 3pm, while temperatures of 23C and 24C spread across the Midlands, southeast and East Anglia.
Warm evening expected
The unusually warm conditions could linger well into the evening, with the 6pm map still showing temperature highs of 23C or above across a large part of England.
Temperatures are noticeably cooler further north, with much of Scotland shown in the mid-to-high teens. Northern Ireland also looks set for cooler conditions, with temperatures generally hovering in the mid-to-high teens.
Counties set for 23C or higher
The 21 counties and areas forecast to hit 23C or higher are: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.
The forecast follows the Met Office predicting an exceptionally warm end to September, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 27C or 28C across southern and southeastern England on Friday. Forecasters said temperatures would climb well above the seasonal average, with the Met Office describing Friday as "exceptionally warm for late September".
