© Christopher PledgerWarm weekend will represent the highest October temperatures for 26 years
Met Office forecasters say the hot spell will last until Sunday after a weather system which usually bakes Greek and Turkish beaches was pushed thousands of miles northwest by high pressure.
The warm weekend will represent the highest October temperatures for 26 years.
Temperatures will peak from Wednesday to Sunday, with between 78.8F (26C) and 82.4F (28C) expected daily in the south, with up to 78.8F (26C) in the north and 75.2F (24C) in Scotland.
The Indian summer means Britain will be hotter than Hawaii's island of Kauai, which is forecast to only reach 80.6F (27C) this week, as well as parts of the Mediterranean, such as Athens and Rome, which yesterday were 80F (27).
The warm spell represents highs well above the average maximum temperatures for autumn: September's average is 63.5F (17.5C) while October is 56.5F (13.6C).
It will also be a pleasant change from the summer, when July and August were both colder and wetter than normal.
Coupled with the buffeting the nation received from the aftermath of Hurricane Katia, they combined to make, for many, the worst summer since 1993.
This week, the Met Office said most areas will be dry, with Monday seeing pleasant temperatures before the hot air sweeps in tonight and the mercury begins to climb.
Forecasters believe Sunday will be the last day of exceptional heat, before temperatures reduce gradually through the first half of next week while remaining warm in the south.
The only rain likely is occasional showers tomorrow (Tues) along the west coast, with western Scotland seeing heavier rain on Wednesday and Thursday, and some showers in western Scotland and north-west England from Friday.
Steven Keates, a Met Office forecaster, said: "Temperatures are on the up and will be exceptionally warm for the time of year from Tuesday, continuing until the end of the week at least.
"Temperatures will be up to 80.6F (27C), and 82.4F (28C) can't be ruled out.
"The high pressure area over the continent is moving closer to us, and with low pressure over the Atlantic, that brings us south-easterly winds and air which can be traced back to south-eastern Europe, around Greece and Turkey.
"They are warm winds and also dry - as they have travelled over land to get here - so they will bring plenty of sunshine, causing the high temperatures."
The hottest October temperature ever recorded was 84.9F (29.4C) at March, Cambridgeshire, on October 1 1985.
well hot for England and i am sure that record temperature was beaten today