Instability towards the South West and a weakening cold front moving down from the North West will bring a few showers this weekend, but the hiccup in the current overall settled weather picture will be brief.
Instability towards the South West and a weakening cold front moving down from the North West will bring a few showers this weekend, but the hiccup in the current overall settled weather picture will be brief. Indeed before the weekend is out, pressure will be rising again, with many central, southern, and some eastern parts, in particular, remaining completely dry throughout if damp underfoot.
Over the past few days, the winter sunshine across most parts won't be quite so prominent today. Nevertheless, much of Wales, Scotland, particularly the East and northern England, will be fine and quite sunny again once morning mist and patchy fog has cleared. Northern Ireland, however, will see more cloud, with widespread fog thick and freezing in places across central, eastern and southern parts of England, which may be slow to clear. Like yesterday the fog may persist all day in parts of the Trent Valley and the Vale of York, simply lifting into very low cloud in some areas as a South to South Westerly breeze develops. Top temperatures 6 to 10C in the sunshine, but only from just above freezing to about 3 or 4C where fog lingers.
After dark, Scotland and Northern Ireland see a cold front bringing a spell of rain. This'll be clearing from the North West later in the night, but it'll be breezier, with a Westerly wind strong in the far North giving gales across Orkney and Shetland for a time. It'll feel chilly with a touch of frost in some sheltered glens by dawn, but for the most part, the wind should prevent temperatures from falling below 3 to 5C. The far South West and the Channel Islands could see the odd shower overnight, while much of England and Wales stay dry. Fog should be less extensive due to patchy cloud and a South Westerly breeze, but with a slight frost once more where skies remain clear for any length of time. Lowest temperatures mainly in the range of -1 to +4C.
By tomorrow it'll be the turn of northern England to see a few showers before the cold front 'fizzles-out' becoming nothing more than a band of cloud by the time it reaches the Midlands and Wales. For much of England and Wales, though, it'll be another dry day with variable amounts of cloud. The fog and mist should have largely disappeared due to a West or North Westerly wind that will be fresh in the far North at first. It'll feel chilly, though, with top temperatures 6 to 9C, but perhaps as high as 10 or 11C in the far South and South West.
As pressure rises strongly again, especially across Ireland and the South, it stays mainly dry after dark, except the far North of Scotland, where the Westerly breeze may bring a few showers. Elsewhere cloud amounts will vary but with clear spells, allowing a slight frost and patchy fog to form again later in the night, as temperatures fall -2 or -3C in the coldest spots, but primarily to between 1 and 5C.
High pressure remains broadly in charge for the remainder of the coming week, the only exception at times being the far North and North West of Scotland, where it may be breezier at times with a few showers, Temperatures by day should be generally close or slightly above normal, but it'll be colder where morning mist and patchy fog tends to linger, with further pockets of night frosts, Cloud amounts will vary but with some sunny spells to make it quite pleasant at times, considering the time of year.
