St James's Park, where the summer's highest temperature so far this year of 31.9C was reached on Friday, just happens to be the name of my local bowls club. And in perfect weather that evening fit for a barbecue, let alone a game of bowls, the conditions were a joy to behold after losing so many matches to the rain so far this season. Norfolk, Suffolk and parts of the South East managed to 'hang on' to high summer yesterday, but elsewhere, the fine weather was replaced by cloud. There was also some rain, mainly in the West, and the odd shower further East, ahead of cooler, fresher conditions off the Atlantic that spread to most parts overnight.
The change has been brought by a constantly meandering Jet Stream that's wandered its way back South again, encouraging weather systems to move in once more. So you'll notice the difference today, especially across East Anglia and the South East, with a drop in temperature in much fresher conditions.
Although beginning cloudy and still humid across the South East, a weak, transient ridge gives a dry, bright day for most. So this'll be good news for the Test Match at Trent Bridge, with the weather in the West much improved on yesterday. There'll be sunny spells, with the best of these in the South, but cloud amounts will vary, giving the odd shower mainly in the North. Later across Northern Ireland, it becomes more generally cloudy, with some rain moving in from the West. In noticeably fresher conditions in the East, temperatures reach 14 to 18C over Scotland and Northern Ireland and 19 to 23C across England and Wales, locally 24C towards the South East, in mostly light to moderate breezes.
The far North of Scotland may stay dry, but across Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and parts of northern England, a small depression will bring some rain, much of which should be light and patchy. Further South, after some evening sunshine mostly in the East, it clouds over from the West after dark. Here too there could be some light rain or drizzle for a time, but it should continue mainly dry. It'll turn misty in the West, with a South Westerly breeze freshening a little. But it'll be a very mild night away from the far North, with temperatures mostly not falling below 12 to 16C.
The new working week begins rather cloudy, with further patchy, mostly light rain or drizzle, mainly in the North. Later it may turn brighter in some western areas, but most parts keep a lot of cloud. Winds will be light in the North, with a somewhat fresher South Westerly further South. Temperatures will be close to normal.
Tuesday should bring an improvement from the West, with mid-week turning finer, summery and warmer again, mainly in the South. But this probably won't last, with unsettled, windy weather conditions returning particularly to the North and West later in the week.
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