Britain is set to bake in glorious sunshine with temperatures set to hit a high of 20C as warm weather sweeps in from the Atlantic Azores Islands.
Plenty of warm air and sunshine is forecasted from May 5 with weather forecasters expecting temperatures of 20C ahead of the weekend.
On Thursday, temperatures are expected to bring a warm minimum of 18C before hitting 19C in time for the weekend.
However, parts of Scotland and the north will be blasted by arctic winds with a chilly northerly guests pushing temperatures to freezing.
Showers will be kept at bay until Friday with a rainy end scheduled to end the week .
Jim Dale, the meteorologist for British Weather Services, told Express.co.uk : “It is going to be pleasantly warm in the south for most of this week as the nose of an Azores high comes in and sits over the country keeping frontal systems away.
“Temperatures could hit 20C or 21C across southern parts of the country thanks to this sub-tropical airmass.
"Towards the end of the week, high pressure will weaken allowing frontal systems to come in bringing more unsettled conditions.”
He added: “Northern Britain will get a cooler influence to start the week, but as high pressure builds, eventually some of the warmer air will push temperatures up.”
However, Scotland will be expecting frost while other parts of the UK will have warm weather.
On Friday, colder conditions from the Atlantic threaten to break through triggering showers largely across the southeast.
Meteorologist Sarah Kent said: “It is turning chilly across northern Scotland and there could be a touch of frost here where there are any cloud breaks, but it will be milder elsewhere.
“It will be cool in northern and eastern areas but where there is some sunshine in the south and west temperatures will peak at around 18C.”
Weather trending meteorologist John Hammond said: “There’s an outside chance we may well endure a fresh wave of Arctic air, raising the possibility of unwelcome overnight frost, especially across northern areas.”
However, parts of Britain can look forward to 21C highs ahead of the weekend.
Met Office UK forecast for this week
Wednesday:
Early cloud and rain in the north and west giving way to brighter weather while showers, heavy at times, break out over eastern, central and southern England during the afternoon.
Thursday to Saturday:
Mainly fine and rather warm Thursday, though some rain for northern, and perhaps western, areas.
Band of rain, locally heavy, moves southeast across the UK Friday, with settled weather following.
Sunday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 17
Dry weather is likely for most throughout much of this period, bringing variable cloud and sunny spells to most areas.
Northern regions are more likely to see a scattering of showers at the start, interspersed by bands of more persistent or heavier rain at times.
Winds should be generally light to moderate, and coastal areas may also experience periods of low cloud or fog.
The settled weather will continue, widespread through the second half of the period, with any rain confined to western and northern areas.
Temperatures are likely to rise above average through the first few days, except nearer to the coast and perhaps in the far north, which may see slightly cooler conditions, and it is expected to become warm, perhaps very warm, later by the weekend.
