Exact dates this week that 'may hit 30C' as weather forecasters declare 'Indian summer'

Weather forecasters say the UK faces a proper "Indian summer" this week, with temperatures possibly rising to 30C.

An Indian summer generally refers to unseasonably warm weather that occurs in Autumn, although experts say the true definition is a warm period that occurs following the first frost of Autumn.

According to Netweather, high pressure will be centred in southern parts of the UK this week, bringing significant amounts of sunshine. The high pressure is expected to "move to the north" as the week progresses. This means there could be some rain in southern regions, while "western Scotland, north-west England and Northern Ireland can especially expect plenty of warm and sunny weather".

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Netweather says temperatures could rise into the mid-20Cs in western and northern Scotland. And towards the weekend, with easterly winds expected to "slacken", England and Wales could rise into the high-20Cs. The Netweather forecast adds: "This does not compare with the hot weather that we saw in early September 2023, but with the advancing season, these sort of temperatures are still well above average for the time of year."

Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden has gone one step further, suggesting temperatures could reach the 30C mark this week. In his latest forecast update on Facebook, Madden said temperatures today (Monday, September 16) could hit the mid-20Cs in southern and central England.

He expects temperatures across the board to improve as the week progresses. He said: "This should see large parts of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales all reaching into the mid-20s or higher in places at the very least." Madden pinpointed Wednesday (September 18) and Thursday (September 19) as the peak of this warm spell, adding: "I wouldn't be surprised to see daytime temperatures hitting or exceeding 30C at the very least in places by this period, particularly in some central and southern areas."

The latest Met Office predictions for Wednesday to Friday (September 20) state: "Largely fine through much of the week, though an easterly breeze developing which may introduce patchy cloud."