A wet week, especially in the south

With low pressure firmly in control it is going to be another wet and unsettled week across the country, but this time around the south will be rather wetter than the north- some unusually active depressions for the time of year, as the Atlantic is traditionally at its quietest during mid to late spring.

Today we have a belt of heavy, persistent rain spreading through south-western areas. During the rest of today we can expect cloud and some rain to get as far north as the Midlands, but most of the rain will be across southern parts of England, where it will extend eastwards to cover East Anglia and the southeast during the rest of today.

For Scotland, Ireland and northern England, it will be another day of sunshine and showers, although Scotland and England will see fewer and lighter showers than on recent days. Eastern coastal parts will become dry during the afternoon but with a chilly breeze off the North Sea. For Ireland, however, some heavy and locally thundery showers with hail are likely. It will be a fairly cool day, with maximum temperatures mostly around 10 to 12C, but struggling at 8 or 9C underneath the rain belt in southern England and in some counties bordering the North Sea.

During Tuesday the rain belt in the south will become slow moving across East Anglia giving a dull wet day. Elsewhere it will be another day of sunshine and showers although eastern coastal areas, being close to the trailing frontal system giving persistent rain, will be predominantly dry with an overhang of high cloud. Showers will again be light to moderate for most, but across Ireland they will be heavy and thundery.

It's going to turn wet and windy for most of us midweek, as a belt of rain and strong winds will spread in from the south-west during Wednesday. Matters become more uncertain as we head towards the end of the week- it isn't clear where the rain belt is going to track, although the most likely route is through eastern parts of Britain on Thursday, leaving other areas with a return to sunshine and showers.

Published on 23rd April 2012 10:52 Updated: 23rd April 2012 10:52