Britain faces a week of storms with ex-tropical Storm Henri about to unleash gales and torrential downpours.

Swathes of the country are set for "wild weather" in the coming days with 70mph gusts and floods threatening coastal regions.

The remnants of Henri, currently sweeping across the Atlantic, will be dragged into the UK by the jet stream towards the middle of the week.

It will be the first of several deep low pressure systems to stir things up with the south in the firing line.

Forecasters say an unusually strong jet stream threatens a prolonged spell of stormy weather.

The grim outlook comes after a relatively calm and mild start to autumn saw thermometers hit 23C at the weekend.

Temperatures will drop slightly this week, hitting 20C across areas of London.

Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel UK, said the entire country should prepare for an unsettled week with severe gales possible.

Tropical Storm Henri is set to usher in gusty winds and heavy rain

He said: "The remnants and energy from tropical storm Henri will be caught in the jet stream and swing across the Atlantic.

"Despite the unsettled weather it may be warmer over the south... with temperatures in the low 20s across southeast England.

"Much of the UK can expect 150-250 per cent of normal precipitation so quite a wet week."

Weather Network spokesman Richard Chapman said Britain is about to get a "real taste of autumn".

He said: "It is definitely set to be unsettled with rain and some strong winds dominating. "If the jet stream engages with ex-tropical storm Henri we could be in for some wild weather, a real taste of autumn."

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather said: "After some short-lived Indian type summer weather for many it will become more unsettled at times.

"This will bring a changeable theme of sunshine and showers or some longer periods of rain as weather fronts edge in from the Atlantic for many to start next week.

"The unsettled weather will be accompanied by some gusty or potentially strong winds at times to give an autumnal feel to affairs."

"Gales and torrential rain"

The Met Office said a "disturbed" week will see gales and torrential rain batter the UK with a wet day on the cards tomorrow.

It has not ruled out severe weather warnings over the next few days depending on the tack and intensity of the storms.

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said: "A band of rain moves through the UK on Monday and it is looking very unsettled with gales in exposed coasts especially in the south.

"We are keeping an eye on what tropical storm Henri will do as there is another unsettled weather system piggy-backing into the UK.

"The track and timings of the low are still uncertain but it is likely we will be issuing warnings as this becomes clearer.

"It is quite a disturbed weather pattern."

A satellite shot of Hurricane Henri west of the British Isles

Netweather forecaster Nick Finnis said several stormy low pressure systems are lining up to batter the UK this week.

He said: "There is some uncertainty towards mid-week, thanks to different modelling of the track of the depression formed from the remnants of Tropical Depression Henri.

"This week is looking rather more disturbed, with a few deep lows swinging in across the UK, bringing spells of wet and potentially very windy weather, interspersed with showers."

WeatherOnline forecaster John Ejdowski added: "Deep areas of low pressure will affect the country this week often bring in heavy periods of rain along with strong winds, especially to the south. "Overall temperatures are expected to be near to above normal."

The dire forecast comes as a wider climate anomaly threatens mayhem across Europe over the next three months. Meteorologists blame a powerful El Nino warming in the Pacific Ocean combined with a weakening ridge of high pressure for "opening the door" to autumn storms.

This flood warming comes after last month west London transport was "blighted" by flooding from heavy downpours.