The Met Office has warned heavy rainfall is expected to drench the country over the weekend but not before some sunshine will enable Brits to enjoy "summer's last hurrah".

As October looms and summer draws to a close we are set to be hit with some wintry weather as soon as this weekend according to weather forecasters - with some areas at risk of flooding.

A flood warning is already in place for the North Sea coast at Hornsea due to higher than normal tides which is expected to cause flooding tomorrow morning between 5.45am and 7.15am. Areas most at risk are coastal roads and footpaths along Hornsea seafront, along with properties and businesses on Marine Drive, along South Promenade, Hornsea Burton Road and along Stream Dike and Foss Beck.

A statement on the Government's website reads: "Tide levels will remain high for the next few days. We currently expect this warning to be in force for the morning tides on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and update this message accordingly.

"We are closing flood gates in the area. Be careful along beaches, promenades, coastal footpaths and roads as large waves and sea spray could be dangerous."

The Met Office predicts more warmth and sunshine into Thursday following a cloudy start, with London possibly hitting a high of 26C. Inverness basked in a balmy 25.5C on Wednesday, smashing the average by 14C, according to forecasters.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud remarked: "We are being spoiled by almost summer's last hurrah, but there's a bit of a change coming down the line as we move our way through towards Friday, and especially the weekend."

Currently, the UK is under a spell of high pressure which is set to shift north and east over the week, paving the way for "thundery showers" in southern England from Friday, Mr Stroud explained.

A "gentle decline" in temperatures is on the cards for the weekend, with East Anglia expecting highs of 24C on Saturday before dipping into the low 20s on Sunday, he continued.

Central and southern England, along with parts of Wales, should brace for heavy downpours this weekend, with the Met Office hinting that weather warnings could be announced soon.

Mr Stroud anticipates "Successive bands of rain" and a return to "normal conditions for autumn" next week.

Looking ahead to October weather maps indicate winds could pick up as autumn gets underway. Temperatures have been higher than average for most of September but it looks like the change of month could see the change in the weather too.

There are reports of a 350-mile-wide rainstorm moving across Britain on Tuesday, September 24. The Met Office's long range forecast for the end of September also raises concerns of heavy downpours. It reads: "Showers or longer spells of rain, heavy and perhaps thundery, will affect parts of England and Wales at first, especially in the south and southwest but tending to ease away to the southeast early next week