UK weather: Exact date mercury to feel like 21C as sunshine finally returns

Balmy will feel like 20 or 21C across parts of the UK within the next fortnight, say.

The mercury will rise markedly following a wet and windy start to October, during which and parts of . More than 25mm of rain battered Kent on Wednesday, the says. But it is set to get drier and hotter in the coming weeks, particularly around Thursday October 17.

The actual temperature will be warmer than Wednesday's high of 17C in Plymouth, Devon, but it'll feel a touch hotter than that, due to the humidity and lack of wind. maps issued by forecasters at Ventusky show 20C is anticipated across Norfolk on Thursday October 17, but it will feel like 21C.

The rest of the East of England will experience 18 or 19C warmth - but again forecasters say it will actually feel more like 20C. Highs of 18C are expected widely elsewhere, including across the Southeast of England and parts of the Midlands. Yet in London and parts of Essex, it will feel like 20C because the westerly wind will be so gentle.

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The Met Office says "some warm conditions are possible at times" between Tuesday October 15 and Thursday October 24. Temperatures should be an improvement on Wednesday's 11C in Durham, 10C in Bradford and 10C in Pennerley, Shropshire. But with rain expected in the days before the warmer spell, there are dozens of flood alerts in place at the moment. These include concern across the Home Counties, notably for River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, Bear Brook in the Aylesbury area and River Pang in Berkshire.

This is despite a dry day expected on Friday. The next significant band of rain isn't anticipated until Saturday afternoon when the weather will be thundery for many, especially across and Northwest of England. The heaviest of this rain is believed to fall across North Yorkshire.