Northern Ireland: Ice cream stores welcome 'unseasonably warn' October forecast from Met Office

Parts of the UK could be as hot as Ibiza with unusually warm weather in the next few days.

The south of England could match temperatures at European holiday destinations such as Athens (25C) and be hotter than Barcelona, where the Met Office has predicted 24C temperatures.

Temperatures could hit 26C in some places in the South East, making it as hot as Ibiza this weekend, according to the forecaster.

In Northern Ireland, the mercury is predicted to reach the high teens.

A Met Office spokesman said: "This weekend will see warmer weather for much of the south of the UK, though the higher temperatures are expected much further south than Northern Ireland.

"Despite that, some unseasonably warm weather is likely into the weekend in Northern Ireland, likely peaking in the high teens for some. However, in a split from the conditions likely further south in the UK, there’s also an ongoing chance of showers subduing the feeling of the weather for some in Northern Ireland.

"On Friday and into Saturday, rain is likely to move in from the west, with those to the west of Northern Ireland likely to see some heavier bursts at times.

"Through Saturday and into Sunday, there’s a little uncertainty at quite how much of nearby rain holds off shore, but there’s a potential for some pleasant warmth, more likely to the south of Northern Ireland and away from immediate coasts."

Amy Spiers, manager of Nugelato in Newcastle, Co Down has planned to take advantage of the forecast.

"Yes we have put on more staff," she told the News Letter. "We are just bringing in a few extra just to cover Saturday due to the weather.

"The weather has been so bad for the past couple of weeks so we will really welcome a couple of good days. Saturday is meant to be really good but Sunday seems to rain again.

"I usually check the weather every week when I am doing the rotas so I know how to plan.

"It will be good to get some business and hopefully the town will be quite busy. It is nice to see everybody about."

Damien Morelli, manager of Morelli's in Portstewart, is also hoping to make the most of the weather.

"The weather is without doubt for us the single biggest factor in terms of business, obviously, being in the ice cream game.

"So yeah it will give us a little boost because it is starting to wind down now at the end of the season."

He said that temperatures in the high teens will certainly be helpful for us.

"We are open every day of the year apart from Christmas Day anyway - but it will definitely be a wee boost for us."

The hottest temperature recorded in the UK in October was on October 1 2011 in Gravesend, where temperatures reached 29.9C.

The average October temperature for the UK is 13C, according to the Met Office.

Provisional figures show last month was the UK’s joint warmest September on record.

The average mean temperature across the country was 15.2C, equalling the previous record set in 2006.