By Ellie Buchdahl PUBLISHED: 09:24 EST, 23 September 2013 | UPDATED: 11:13 EST, 24 September 2013 A morning of mists gave way to a warm summery afternoon, as parts of Britain basked in weather that was hotter than Portugal. People headed for the park and the beach as swathes of the country from Portsmouth and to Manchester were treated to temperatures that rose above 20C - reaching highs of 25C in the South East. But the low cloud and dew-soaked lawns this morning were a reminder that Sunday's equinox has ushered in the official start of autumn - and wetter, colder weather is on the way as the weekend approaches.
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Parts of the country enjoy warmer weather than Portugal to last to the middle of the week
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Temperatures set to remain above 20C in most parts - much higher than the UK-wide average for September of 16.5C
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But weather forecasters warn heavy rain will hit Scotland tomorrow and reach the South by Saturday
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