July arrives with a change of weather, with a mostly dry and bright weekend on the way.
They say a change of month brings a change of weather and judging by the past few days; this wouldn't be a bad idea. We are certainly seeing a change now to somewhat drier, brighter conditions, but there'll continue to be patchy rain or showers at times into the first week of July, but there'll be some sunshine too in a mixed start to the new month, with the warmest weather mostly in the East and South.
Today sees residual light rain or drizzle soon clearing away from Kent leaving most places dry. There's a good deal of cloud across England and Wales at the moment though, but skies will brighten through the morning to let some sunshine through in most places as a ridge of high pressure 'topples' over from the West.
The afternoon will continue mainly dry with sunny spells, although cloud amounts will vary. Later in the afternoon cloud will increase more generally again towards Cumbria and in the far West, perhaps bringing patchy light rain or drizzle before evening. A mostly light or moderate North West wind will become West or South Westerly on a warmer day, with top temperatures mainly in the range 19 to 22C, but perhaps 23 or 24C in the South where you see the best of the sunny spells on offer.
It'll also begin dry over most of Scotland and Northern Ireland with some sunshine over East Scotland, but cloud will increase from the West through the morning, bringing patchy mostly light rain or drizzle. Across sheltered parts of East Scotland though, it could well stay dry and bright lifting afternoon temperatures to about 19 or 20C. A mostly moderate South West wind will become fresh perhaps strong across the Northern Isles during the afternoon when the weather should be clearing from Northern Ireland to give some sunshine here later. The North and West of Scotland should also turn brighter, but with a scattering of blustery showers where temperatures generally will get no higher than 14 to 17C.
Eastern and some central parts may see some sunshine into the evening, but it'll cloud over from the West. It'll then be the turn of England and Wales to see some rain overnight, and while much of it should be light and patchy, there could be a few heavier bursts across the Midlands and southern England later in the night.
By then northern England will see clearer skies, which should have spread to much of Wales and the North Midlands by morning. Northern Ireland and East Scotland apart from the odd shower in the North will have a dry evening and night with clear spells. But across the North and West of Scotland,' there'll be showers that'll be blustery across Orkney and Shetland, where a mostly light or moderate Westerly breeze will remain fresh or strong. It'll be a mild night, with lowest temperatures 9 to 12C in the North and 13 to 15C south of the M4.
Cloud and patchy rain will clear from the South East during the morning, leaving most parts on Sunday dry and bright with spells of sunshine. Again there'll be variable amounts of cloud, but this shouldn't spoil an agreeable day too much in a mostly light or moderate West or South Westerly breeze. The exception will be Scotland where Atlantic systems will bring cloud and showers, particularly to the North and West, with Lothian and The Borders drier and brighter. Top temperatures 15 to 18C in the North and 19 to 23C locally 24C in the South.
There'll be further sunshine to end the day across central and eastern areas, but cloud will increase from the West through the evening. That'll bring some rain overnight to Northern Ireland and much of Scotland, with Wales and most other more northern and western areas seeing some rain before morning. In the East, though it should stay dry, with increasing cloud. A South Westerly wind will freshen a little in a very mild night when the thermometer shouldn't fall below 11 to 15C.
