Scotland will be treated to a dry and sunny day in a brief warm blast before torrential rain hits this weekend.
The Met Office says maximum temperatures will reach 21C on Thursday in the east in what will be one of the last hot days of summer.
Parts of Scotland will feel 'pleasantly warm in the sunshine' with a slight breeze - with the dry weather to last overnight before a band of rain moves in from the west.
But the sunny weather won't last for long as forecasters predict a wet weekend with torrential rain and heavy winds set to blast the country.
Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said the UK has been "much warmer than average for the first half of September".
In his forecast he said: "That theme continues for the first day of this forecast, Thursday.
"There'll be fog patches first thing and poor visibility on the roads, but once the fog clears, most places will have a fine day, with warm sunny spells.
He added: "And there's plenty more fine weather to come in many places on Friday, with eastern Scotland, much of England and Wales seeing warm sunshine."
However, the warmer weather is likely to give way to heavy rain by the weekend, forecasters warned.
The long range forecast from the Met Office says that the weekend is expected to see heavy showers which will be worse in the south of the country.
While there will be brighter spells with some sunshine many areas are forecast to experience rain and
Scotland weather forecast
Today
Thursday dry with some sunny intervals, but some evening rain.
Early mist patches soon dispersing, then a dry and bright day with sunny spells, though clouds will increase a little in the afternoon. Some fresh winds and patchy rain reaching the west coast.
In the east, winds will be light so it will feel pleasantly warm in the sunshine. Maximum temperature 21 °C.
Tonight
Dry for much of the evening in Glasgow and Lanarkshire, but the rain in the far west will gradually edge east reaching most areas by midnight. Becoming drier by morning.
Cloud and occasional rain will spread to to the east for a time overnight, mostly dying out by morning. Minimum temperature 12 °C.
Friday
Argyll and the Isles will stay cloudy with some rain at times. Drier further east, perhaps some bright or sunny intervals in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. Maximum temperature 19 °C.
In the east, mostly dry, and bright in the east with some sunny intervals. Cloud and occasional rain may spread to Galloway later. Maximum temperature 21 °C.
Meanwhile, the north east will see a southerly breeze, and quite warm away from coast. Maximum temperature 19 °C.
Saturday to Monday
Cloudy on Friday with outbreaks of rain. Drier, brighter weather following on Saturday, then another band of rain coming along during Sunday.
Sunny intervals and scattered showers on Sunday then mainly dry with some sunshine on Monday.
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