Britain is set to enjoy heatwave weather into the autumn as a sweltering 'Indian Summer' looms, according to new weather forecasts.

Long-range weather maps from WXcharts show a warm Iberian plume moving over southern England and Walesin the early part of next month, bringing highs of 25C on September 8. The southeast is set to see the hottest weather, while the southwest, central England and Wales are also expected to experience higher-than-usual temperatures.

Elsewhere, the West Midlands is also likely to see the mercury reach the low 20s, while northern England and Scotland will see cooler conditions of around 14C.

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Things will take on a decidedly more autumnal feel towards the northern tip of Scotland, where daytime temperatures may only reach 8C, reportsExpress.co.uk. On September 10, Kent, London, and Surrey will continue to bask in highs of 25C, while Hampshire, Dorset, and Sussex will not be far behind, with the mercury forecast to hit 24C.

Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex will also enjoy weather, with 23C temperatures likely, and the mercury will hover between 22C-24C for key cities in the south wes,t including Bristol and Bath. The forecasts have raised hopes of a prolonged 'Indian Summer' this autumn, leading High Street bookies Coral to slash their odds to 1-2 for next month to end as the hottest September on record in the UK.

In the Met Office's long-range weather outlook for Sunday 31 August to Tuesday 9 September, the national forecaster says that "low pressure patterns" will "dominate" at the start of the month, "bringing changeable weather conditions with showers or some longer spells of rain."

But things are tipped to warm up later into this period, and the forecast adds: "Conditions may begin to turn more settled and drier later in the period, particularly in the south. Temperatures are likely to be close to or slightly above average".

In the meantime, mostly rainy conditions are expected across the country today, with showers likely turning thundery in place.

Drier spells are likely to develop towards the evening, along with some warm weather in the east.

It comes after the Met Office said it expects summer 2025 to be officially declared the UK's warmest on record, knocking 2018 off its top spot - and relegating the legendary summer of 1976 out of the top five.

Met Office scientist, Emily Carlisle, said: "Provisional Met Office statistics show that summer 2025 will almost certainly be the warmest summer on record. At present, mean temperature is tracking at 16.13°C.

"The current record is 15.76°C, set in 2018. So, unless temperatures are around four degrees below average for the rest of August - which the forecast does not suggest - it looks like the current record will be exceeded.

"This would move 1976 out of the top five warmest summers since 1884, leaving all five warmest summers having occurred since the year 2000.

Of course, there are still a few days left of meteorological summer to go, but it’s very unlikely anything will stop summer 2025 from being the warmest on record."

UK weather forecast Wednesday:

The rain band, perhaps thundery in places, will continue to spread eastwards throughout the day, with sunshine and showers following. Warm in the east, but near average temperatures elsewhere.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Remaining changeable with temperatures for most around average for late August. Rain most frequent and heaviest across the west, with a risk of thunder and gusty winds at times.