A change in the UK's weather arrives this weekend as high pressure moves in to settle things down as April begins.
They say a change of month brings a change of weather, and right on cue, a strong rise in pressure over the coming weekend will replace the current very unsettled conditions. Beforehand we'll see an active depression crossing central parts on Friday, bringing wet weather and gales to the South, followed by that high pressure ridge which will intensify across the country during Sunday and into the new working week.
So after a wet March, early April becomes much drier and quieter. But with a Scandinavian anticyclone bringing air from northern Europe, it'll also be turning colder, especially at night, with widespread frosts into next week wherever skies stay clear. So gardeners and growers, beware.
After a wet day, especially across England and Wales, expect further showery bursts of rain into the evening and overnight. It'll also turn somewhat colder from the North, with winds slowly decreasing in the South. But a frost is unlikely except perhaps in some sheltered glens of northern Scotland, with minimum temperatures mostly between about 4 and 7C.
Still somewhat unsettled for 'April Fools' day, in a transition period into the new month. A lot of cloud continues to give showers, but there should be a slow improvement as the day wears on, with sunny intervals coming through in places. Although perhaps still windy in the far South and South West at first, there'll be lighter breezes on the whole. But it'll be less mild with temperatures down on recent values of 6 to 9C in the North and 10 or 11C, perhaps 12 or 13C in the South.
The North and West should become largely dry into the evening or overnight as the skies break further. Clear spells may allow a touch of frost and short-lived mist or fog patches to form overnight in generally light winds. But the East and South continue to see a few showers in a chilly north or North East wind. Lowest temperatures -2 to +2C in the North and West and 3 to 5C elsewhere.
An intensifying ridge of high pressure brings dry, fine weather to the North and West and Scotland in particular. There'll be sunny spells, and with light winds, it'll feel quite pleasant in the sunshine. Top temperatures 8 to 10C, but it'll soon turn chilly into the evening. A widespread, mostly slight frost is expected, with a few short-lived mist or fog patches forming overnight. Lowest temperatures -3C to +1C.
Towards North Sea coasts, across East Anglia and the South East, however, a cold North or North East wind may continue to bring a few rain or hail showers, with clearer skies and just the odd shower further West. Top temperatures a somewhat raw 7 to 10C, falling to between 2 and 4C after dark.