Met Office names seven areas facing 21C heat on Thursday - full list

The Met Office has forecast unseasonably warm temperatures of up to 21C in at least seven areas of the UK on Thursday, following several days of rainy conditions.

Weather maps generated by the Met Office on October 14 show temperature levels rising to 21C in seven areas of the country. The forecast for Thursday states: "Rain, often heavy, edging into northern England and Wales. Brighter and cooler conditions following to Northern Ireland and much of Scotland. Unseasonably warm across England and Wales. Windy in places."

Forecast details

Honor Criswick, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "For many areas, though, it will remain dry, just to the south of this rain, a bit cloudy, though, maybe a little bit gray to start into Thursday morning. Most towns and cities remaining around the mid teens, but as that rain clears towards the far northwest, turning a little bit cooler here."

She added: "Now, through the course of Thursday, a band of rain will slowly sink its way southwards. It doesn't move very quickly. So that means for areas of southern Scotland, northwest England, eventually northwest Wales, they're likely to see quite a wet day, certainly for Cumbria, across any hilly areas here, we could see a fair amount of rain."

Warmth and rain movement

Criswick continued: "Turning brighter once that rain clears, though, a fair few showers towards the very far northwest, but this is where it's likely to turn that bit fresher towards the far south and southeast, remaining fairly warm ahead of that front in the sunny spells. Temperature's still pushing into the low 20s here, but turning more closer to average towards the very far north."

She noted: "Now, this cold front will eventually clear its way southeastwards. It's still fairly slow through the course of the evening, just about drifting into East Anglia, Southeast England, towards the early hours of Friday."

Recent weather context

The weather maps come a day after the Met Office issued a yellow warning of winds for the UK on Wednesday. Parts of the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar) were covered by a yellow wind warning, which was in force from 10am until 7pm on Wednesday. The Met Office warned that gusts are expected to reach 50 to 60mph, with exposed coastal and higher ground areas potentially experiencing winds of around 70mph from late morning into the early afternoon.

Many areas of Britain have been hit by rainy conditions in recent days, after a summer characterised by very dry and hot weather which led to drought conditions being declared in several areas across the country.