Changes afoot after weeks of dry, sunny weather. Showers develop this weekend and continue next week. Did you see a halo around the sun? Air pollution levels are rising.
The fine weather continues although there some low cloud and fog about this morning. The visible satellite picture shows banks and pockets out in the North Sea, for Northern Ireland, near to northern Scotland and in the English Channel. Elsewhere there are clear skies and more sunshine but without the keen nippy wind.
Herstmonceux in East Sussex reached 24.3C yesterday in the sunshine. 21.3C in Aviemore, 19.6C in Armagh and 23.1C in Porthmadog. Inland northern Scotland will again reach into the low 20sC as will southern Britain. For eastern Britain, still only 12 or 13C. It will be a dry, fine day as the early cloud disappears for most areas. There is the potential for the odd shower over SW England later on today.
With Cirrostratus cloud over parts of the UK on Thursday, there have been stunning views of sun halos and other optical phenomena such as parhelia.
The high pressure which has been dominating our UK weather has moved from Scandinavia westwards away to the north of Scotland and relinquished its steady hold, so our weather becomes less settled. An arctic flow is pouring down through Norway and Sweden and pushing cold across the North Sea. Various little features swing about, such a little low, a few troughs, occluding fronts which you will see on the surface pressure maps. So, a change from the clear blue skies, dry weather and sunshine to more cloud a scattering of showers and a more unsettled theme through the weekend.
Tonight, cooler air will reach NE Scotland with the risk of a frost again as that bank of low cloud moves in over eastern Britain. Further west it remains milder.
By Saturday morning there will be a few showers over SW Britain with more cloud. The low cloud which will have crept in overnight, right up to the Pennines and over the Midlands will retreat back to the coasts and the sunshine appears Temperatures on Saturday will be in the mid to high teens for many areas, still light winds and some parts of England up to 20 or 21C, so 70F. Still cool around the Thames estuary and a westerly wind for NW Scotland will make a change after the recent heat. With more unstable air and moisture in the west, there will be a few showers on Saturday, Wales looks most likely but by Sunday more of a change. Low pressure edges over northern UK with cooler air. The showers will be heavier in the north with the risk of thunder and a more distinct band looks set to move southwards during the day. There could be a few lingering ones from overnight for Wales and England as well on Sunday morning. So, after weeks of dry conditions and clear skies, this is a different look.
Gardeners – Continued frost risk next week in the north and sporadic rainfall rather than totally dry.
The mixed theme continues next week with colder air flowing down into Scotland with more frosts, warmer air lurking over northern France and an unsettled look to the weather for the last week of April. The risk of showers at times, bright spells rather than glorious sunshine and subdued temperatures although the sunshine remains strong where it does appear.
With less traffic on the roads, NO2 levels have plummeted but the air quality forecast for today and tomorrow show moderate even high levels of pollution for parts of the UK. This is from Ozone and particle pollution which can cause respiratory issues. Light winds and sunshine across the UK will allow the Ozone to build up and the particle levels are high from manure spraying, dusty soil, wood and other burning and agriculture and coal power sources here, returning in the easterly flow and coming from European sources.
