Britain looks set to bask in a 20C blast of hot weather as an anticyclone pushes aside this week's cold snap, the latest weather maps show.

Widespread frost overnight on Thursday saw temperatures in all four countries of the UK plunge below zero degrees Celsius and the mercury dipping as low as -2.7C in Topcliffe, North Yorkshire.

Despite the chilly conditions over the past few days, the weekend is expected to be much warmer with many areas set to be fine and dry and temperatures reaching the high teens or even 20C in some parts.

An anticyclone of dry, settled weather is set to take hold across southern England, bringing dry and settled weather for many.

Netweather forecaster Terry Scholey said a cold front works its way through Scotland and Northern Ireland on Saturday (September 14), bringing rain followed by clearer skies and lighter breezes.

This will make Sunday (September 15) the best day of the weekend in this part of the UK. Mr Scholey added: "By then, our cold front, by now a weak feature, will be ensconced across northern England, giving a band of cloud and some light patchy rain.

"But further south, it should stay dry, fine, and steadily become warmer, as temperatures return to the low twenties Celsius early next week in warm September sunshine."

Weather maps generated by Netweather on Friday show 20-21C in Greater London, 20C in Norwich, 19C in Southampton, 17C in Bristol and 19C in Liverpool on Sunday.

Greater Manchester could see the mercury rise to 19C at 3pm on Monday (September 16), while Gloucester may see 20C, Ipswich 21C and Plymouth 19C, according to WX Charts' maps.

Jason Kelly, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said the cold Arctic air we have been experiencing will be replaced with warmer westerlies over the weekend.

He added: "High pressure will bring fine weather to the south, but there is an area of low pressure to the North West, which will push some weather fronts across Scotland and Northern Ireland, bringing rain and thicker cloud. It will also be windy across northern Scotland, especially on Saturday."

Met Office UK five day weather forecast

Friday, September 13 - Tuesday, September 17

Headline: Cold on Friday night. Warmer into the weekend.

This evening and tonight: Outbreaks of rain spread across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland with gales in the far northwest by dawn. A milder night here, but cold under clearer skies further southeast leading to some grass frost and mist and fog patches.

Saturday: Dry for England and Wales with sunny spells. Cloudier for Northern Ireland and Scotland with rain in the far northwest. Warmer for all with temperatures recovering to the seasonal average.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday: Rain moves into northern England on Sunday; sunny spells to the north and south. Further rain into northern areas on Monday but turning drier for most on Tuesday.