Brits are set to be blasted by heavy rain and gales in the north of the UK while the south basks in 23C highs from former tropical storm Alex.
It was a hot day for the much of the country on Wednesday with 23.5C the high in Surbiton, south-west London, while there was also heavy and persistent rain, as well as hail, in central and northern Scotland as the day wore on.
There were thunderstorm warnings in place from the Met Office for the end of the day.
The outlook for today is a mild start with the best of the sunshine across central and southern England while rain and cloud moves in from the west during the day.
"Eventually the sunshine is nibbled away by cloud as it moves its way steadily eastwards. Will keep some light rain and some misty and murky conditions along west facing coasts. The highest temperatures where we see the best of the temperatures 22C,” said BBC weather ’s Louise Lear.
She warned hay fever sufferers that in the sunshine the grass pollen is now reaching its peak and so there are “very high levels of pollen” expected in the afternoon.
The unsettled and warm weather hitting the country at the end of this week is coming from ex-tropical storm Alex.
The storm caused heavy rain in Florida but by the time it has made its way across the Atlantic it will no longer be so fierce and the worst of the weather front could miss to the north of the UK.
Even so, it is still expected to bring heavy rain and gale force winds on Friday.
Ms Lear continued: "The remnants of that storm bringing some windy conditions to the far north and west but also some warmth as it is a south westerly wind to go with it.
"We keep a cluster of showers and winds perhaps gusting in excess of 40mph or 50mph in exposed coasts but across much of England and Wales with some sunshine coming through, breezy afternoon but warm with it.
"We could see highs of 23C."
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Rain moving eastwards today.
Today:
A few showers across Scotland, otherwise many central and eastern areas dry with some sunny spells. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle in the west edging steadily eastwards, turning light and patchy.
Tonight:
Drizzle becoming confined to southeast England, else most parts dry with variable cloud cover. Windy in the northwest with a few showers.
Friday:
Much of central, southern and eastern Britain will be dry with some warm sunny spells. Windy in the northwest with showers, some heavy.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Windy with showers across the northwest at times, particularly on Saturday, and here it will be cool. The south and east will be mainly dry, temperatures close to average here.
