A warm weekend on the way

It may be almost December but temperatures in the heart of Devon will match those in destinations such as Athens and Porto this weekend.

The Met Office is forecasting a mild few days ahead with temperatures up to 12C and possibly 13C in Exeter.

And the chances of a white Christmas are slim with above average temperatures expected through to February.

The Met Office forecast for the next five days is as follows:

Today:

Fairly cloudy and murky for many, with widespread hill fog and the odd spot of drizzle over higher ground. However, a better chance than recent days of some brighter spells, especially across western parts. Becoming breezy in the west later. Maximum Temperature 11C.

Tonight:

A good deal of dry weather overnight, though still drizzly over some hills. Cloudy for many, but some clearer spells in the west. Becoming breezy across all parts. Minimum Temperature 7C.

Friday:

A windy day. Still largely cloudy, with a little patchy, light rain, mainly over hills. Some brighter spells in the west at times. Maximum Temperature 12C.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Quiet through the weekend with a good deal of cloud, but largely dry conditions, and occasional brighter spells. Outbreaks of rain spreading from the northwest later on Monday.

A Met Office spokesman said: "For both December and December-February as a whole, above-average mean temperatures are more likely than below-average.

“Above-average precipitation is favoured, and although uncertainty is large, there is a clear shift towards more likely wetter than average conditions.

“It would be a mistake to interpret a very mild outcome as ‘highly likely.’ Very cold conditions cannot be ruled out.

“Even in the event of an overall mild winter, we could still see spells of cold or very cold weather.”