UK weather: Britain is set for two days of Autumn sun with 63F highs

Giant waves have battered Britain’s south coast as 50mph winds and rain swept across the country today – before Britons can expect two days of Autumnal sun with highs of 63F.

The Met Office expects ‘unsettled’ bouts of rain to sweep over the country tomorrow but temperatures will be well above average with highs of 17C (63F) expected in the South and 16C (61F) in the North.

Greg Dewhurst, Met Office forecaster, told MailOnline: ‘We’ll see heavy rain pushing east across England and Wales across the rest of today with strong and gusty winds at times.’ 

Meanwhile there are fears that Cornwall could be battered by huge waves between Monday and Thursday next week as a ‘potential ex-hurricane swell’ heads towards Britain, according to surf forecasters Magic Seaweed.  

There are fears that Cornwall could be battered by huge waves between Monday and Thursday next week as a ‘potential ex-hurricane swell’ heads towards Britain, according to a surf forecasting company. Pictured, big waves crash on the seafront at Dawlish in Devon

Storm Barbara brings torrential rain to the UK Blackpool Central prom today. On Sunday, low pressure will remain close by the north-west of the UK, with showers expected for the North and West but further sunshine on the way for the South with temperatures closer to average at about 14C (57F)

Surf forecasting company Magic Seaweed is expecting a ‘gigantic black blob of swell’ to hit Europe, adding: ‘Tropical Storm Epsilon is currently forecast to become a hurricane when it approaches Bermuda later this week.’ Pictured, a cyclist in the heavy rain on Blackpool prom

For the rest of today, a deep area of low pressure will sit to the west of Scotland, driving active fronts across the UK with gales most likely around exposed hills and coasts – although the showers will be interspersed with some sunshine.

Mr Dewhurst added: ‘It will be a blustery day with winds reaching around 30 or 40 mph across the UK or 50 mph across southern coasts where there are bursts of rain.

‘Showers will continue across the UK tonight and tomorrow. They will be heavy at times with the driest areas across the east of the UK.’ 

On Sunday, low pressure will remain close by the north-west of the UK, with showers expected for the North and West but further sunshine on the way for the South with temperatures closer to average at about 14C (57F). 

‘Tomorrow we’re looking at a day of sunshine and showers across the whole of the UK. Some of these showers will be thundery at times and most frequent across the west of the UK and southern England. Eastern parts of the UK will see showers at times and it will be a blustery day across the whole of the UK again,’ said Mr Dewhurst. 

But there are fears for the rest of next week as Magic Seaweed expects a ‘gigantic black blob of swell’ to hit Europe, adding: ‘Tropical Storm Epsilon is currently forecast to become a hurricane when it approaches Bermuda later this week.’

‘After its current trajectory of running up the US east coast, it’s looking as if it will downgrade and tear across the North Atlantic before being sucked into another system heading towards Europe, delivering some chunky conditions for everywhere in its path.’ 

Yesterday, rain battered Scotland, Wales, northern and western parts of England, with sunny spells and showers in Northern Ireland and one or two light showers in southern and eastern England. Pictured, the seafront at Dawlish in Devon

The Met Office expects multiple bands of rain to sweep over the country today although temperatures could hit 17C (63F)

Monday’s weather will be ‘more of the same’, according to Mr Dewhurst, who said ‘it will be another day of sunshine and heavy showers’.

‘Those showers may merge to give longer spells of rain,’ he added. ‘It will be another blustery day, particularly across the south. Overall it will be staying unsettled and pretty autumnal.’

Yesterday, rain battered Scotland, Wales, northern and western parts of England, with sunny spells and showers in Northern Ireland and one or two light showers in southern and eastern England.

Rain became fragmented as it progressed south-eastwards, before most areas became dry for the evening with clear spells despite a few showers in North West Scotland and South East England.

Through last night, brisk southerly winds strengthened further and rain affected north-western areas into this morning, when the South and East were mostly cloudy with a few bright spells but very windy.

Rain will progress south-eastwards through today and sunny spells and showers will follow in the North West, before a bright start on Sunday that will also feature frequent heavy showers in western regions.

On Sunday, showers are expected for the North and West but further sunshine for the South with temperatures at 14C (57F)

On Monday, there will be sunny spells and showers, which will be mostly light – however, frequent heavy showers will affect north-western parts of Scotland.

The top UK temperature recorded Thursday was 18.1C (64.6F) at Frittenden in Kent, while the low was 4.2C (39.6F) at Scolton in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the sunniest place was Manston in Kent with 7.1 hours.

The wettest place was Craibstone near Aberdeen with 35.8mm (1.41in) of rain. Residents in northern Scotland had to be rescued from flooded properties and motorists from cars stranded in water following the heavy downpours.

In Angus, the A92 was closed after three cars became stuck in flood water between Arbroath and Montrose. There was also flooding on the A90 at Toll of Birness in Aberdeenshire, and police urged motorists to drive with care.