Summer's here - just a few months too late!

Long spells of sunshine will provide a welcome pick-me-up following the wettest June, July and August on record complete with hail, torrential downpours and floods.

Today should be mild and dry in all areas. And although rain is expected tomorrow, we are promised that the sun will soon be back. Bright spells are expected on Wednesday and it will stay dry, with light winds of less than 10mph helping keep the weather fine for the rest of the week.

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The South East of England, East Anglia, Devon, eastern Scotland and Cornwall will enjoy the best of the weather with temperatures of up to 21C (70F) on Wednesday and Thursday compared with the October average of 59F (15C).

Other areas will also enjoy warm weather, but in the North of England-moving up into much of Scotland-it will be cooler with temperatures of around 16C (61F).

The balmy spell is expected to continue until early next week, when it will start to become colder and more overcast.

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Met Office forecaster Chris Almond said: "Although this week is not going to be clear blue skies, temperatures are going to be above average and there will be bright and sunny spells.

"Towards the weekend the warm weather will continue, before breaking some time next week when it will start going downhill with wet weather pushing down from the north."

Despite the above-average temperatures, chilly nights earlier in the month mean there is no threat to the record for warmest October. But the winter is expected to be milder than normal.

"October will get chillier as the month goes on, as you would expect," said Mr Almond.

"But we are predicting that winter will be warmer than average and it should be drier than last year, which was exceptionally wet."