Dry anticyclonic gloom continues across much of England and Wales next few days, generally cloudy but milder with a little rain at times for Scotland. Wet and windy for the north later on Wednesday, then becoming changeable for all parts.
High pressure has been in control for the last few weeks, bringing a very dry January so far, and will hang on across southern Britain over the next few days, bringing a lot of dry but gloomy weather, before finally slipping away southwest by mid-week. As high pressure retreats, it will allow an area of low pressure pass the far north bringing a spell of wet and windy weather across Scotland on Wednesday, a cold front will sweep southeast in wake of the low on Thursday, but little rain on it as it reaches the south. But the front will clear away the gloomy skies and introduce brighter skies.
The wet and windy weather sweeping across the north mid-week looks to mark a change in weather pattern to what we’ve been used to the past few weeks, with a breezier and more changeable westerly flow taking over to end the week and through the weekend, with occasional spells of rain or showers moving off the Atlantic across many parts. Potential that winds may briefly veer northwesterly later next weekend, which will mean showers could turn wintry across the north for a time.
For now, a generally frost-free but grey start to Sunday, with cloudy skies across most parts away from northeast Scotland. Light winds will mean the cloud will stay across many areas today, so a gloomy but mostly dry day for most. A brisk southwesterly wind across the far northwest will feed in thicker cloud across western Scotland, which will produce some showery bits of rain at times here. Although most places will remain grey today, there will be a few bright spells and brief glimpses of sunshine in places – these most likely across parts of Wales, northern England and northeast Scotland. Temperatures reaching 5-7C generally, 8-9C across the far northwest.
We keep the blanket of cloud tonight across most areas, but there will be a few breaks here and there, more particularly parts of northern England and Wales, that will allow some patchy frost, mist or fog to develop. It will be mostly dry overnight, but outbreaks of rain look to move in across northern Scotland. Temperatures falling into low single figures, away from the far northwest where it will be mild.
A slow-moving weather front will bring thicker cloud and some patchy rain across northern Scotland on Monday, further south some brightness and occasional sunny spells across southern Scotland, N. Ireland and northern England. But, for much of England and Wales, it will be another overcast and gloomy but dry day – with light winds. Temperatures reaching 4-7C across England and Wales, quite chilly across southern England, a milder 7-9C for Scotland and N. Ireland.
More of the same on Tuesday for most, gloomy but largely dry, a weak slow-moving front across Scotland will bring some patchy light rain or drizzle. Some brief bright or sunny spells in places. Temperatures 4-8C, again quite chilly across southern England, with temperatures struggling in low single figures under the blanket of cloud. Milder the further north you go.
Changes across the north on Wednesday, after a dry start, a deepening area of low pressure passing close to northern Scotland will bring wet and windy conditions sweeping east across Scotland and northern England through the afternoon and early evening, followed by blustery showers across the northwest. Southern Britain mostly dry but cloudy and breezy. Less cold across the board, especially in the south.
After a cloudy start with some patchy light rain in the south, cold front clears the south coast in the afternoon followed by brighter but breezy conditions from the northwest, though turning cloudier across the far north with showers here also around western coasts further south.
Generally cloudy and breezy in the north and west on Friday, with some patchy drizzle across western areas and more general rain across northern and western Scotland. Drier and brighter with some sunny spells for southern, central and eastern England.
For now, it’s looking unsettled and windy next weekend, with spells of rain or showers crossing most areas, but also some brighter spells.
