Temperatures to soar across Britain this weekend reaching 'summerlike levels'

However, downpours of heavy rain also feature prominently in the weekend forecast, meaning Britons may need to keep an umbrella close at hand despite the elevated temperatures.

Weather modelling suggests a highly variable picture across the UK, with some regions basking in the warmth while others contend with wet and overcast skies.

The combination of muggy air and intermittent sunshine is expected to give many areas a distinctly summer-like feel, even as the calendar firmly places the country in early autumn.

The elevated temperatures are forecast to linger into Monday across much of the country, offering an extended spell of pleasant conditions to start the working week.

Despite the warmth, forecasters stress no part of the UK is anticipated to meet the official threshold for a heatwave designation.

By the middle of next week, a noticeable shift is expected as cooler air moves in, bringing conditions more typical of mid-September.

Temperatures are set to rise this week

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Looking further ahead, computer forecasting models present a decidedly uncertain outlook for the remainder of the month.

While occasional warm spells remain possible during the second half of September, there are no clear indications at this stage a sustained period of exceptional heat is on the horizon.

The mixed signals from weather models mean Britons should prepare for a changeable fortnight ahead, with no prolonged heatwave currently anticipated by forecasters.

Beyond this weekend's warmth, the Met Office has cautioned autumn as a whole is likely to bring above-average rainfall, heightening the prospect of flooding across the country.

According to the national forecaster, the probability of a warm and wet autumn is roughly one-and-a-half to two times greater than usual, with windier weather also more likely as the season progresses.

These conditions are being driven in large part by supercharged El Niño activity in the Pacific Ocean, which has already reached near-record intensity.

Forecasters have indicated this could develop into one of the most powerful El Niño events ever recorded.

The phenomenon, caused by warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, has historically been linked to milder, wetter and stormier conditions across the UK and northern Europe during late autumn and early winter.

The Met Office nevertheless stressed El Niño is just one of multiple climate drivers shaping Britain's weather and does not on its own dictate precise conditions.

Chief Meteorologist Ian Lisk said: "The latest seasonal forecasts suggest an increased likelihood of wetter than average conditions as we move through autumn, which would be consistent with the historical influence of El Nino events."

He added: "While this event may become one of the strongest El Nino events on record, that does not automatically mean more severe impacts for the UK."

The seasonal outlook arrives against a backdrop of persistent drought, with officials reporting close to three quarters of England remains parched despite recent downpours.

The country is grappling with its third drought in half a decade.

Although rainfall has restored greenery to lawns and fields, the Environment Agency warned numerous reservoirs remain at critically low levels.