Northern Ireland will see more rain on Friday but an improvement by Saturday. There is mention of rain in the weekend forecast for Britain too but growing warmth from the south.
Warmer air is on the way for the start of next week with temperatures reaching into the low twenties Celsius on Monday. However, for the weekend, bands of cloud and rain will encroach from the Atlantic. Once more it will be a balance; of waiting for breaks in the cloud and benefiting from temporary, warm sunshine, but resigning yourself to the fact that you do need a jumper or a coat when it’s cloudy. Overnight temperatures will still fall into single figures. So if you are thinking about sitting out on one of the evenings this weekend, remember it’s not summer just yet.
Northern Ireland saw a wet Tuesday and there will be another frontal band arriving on Thursday night. This will be slow-moving and bring rain through Friday before creeping eastwards to Britain ready for Saturday. That frontal band provides the grey skies and a disappointing cloudy, damp picture for many on Saturday. Another system is forecast to run in from the Atlantic but slide over the northwestern half or even just a third of the UK on Sunday. That will bring more rain and cloud but still allow parts of England to brighten up and become warmer.
Friday evening
Northern Ireland will have a damp Friday evening as the frontal rain continues. Even as this rain band begins to clear there will be some sharp showers following from the west. It will become drier and calmer overnight for Northern Ireland.
Underneath the cloud and rain, temperatures will stay up around 10 or 11C and the frontal rain will extend over the Irish Sea. A few showery outbreaks of rain will reach through the Central Belt. Outbreaks of rain will reach western Scotland, NW England, Wales and SW England. Overnight Eastern Britain, particularly East Anglia will feel cool as temperatures fall away to 3C. There will be a southeast or easterly breeze off the chilly North Sea.
For Saturday morning there will be the frontal band running north-south with thicker cloud and outbreaks of rain. To the west, there will be sunshine and a much improved day for Northern Ireland. Ahead of the rain, there will be hazy sunshine as high cloud from the front edges over more of Britain. Coastal northern and northeast Scotland will have a moderate to fresh southerly wind and there will be a light easterly wind coming into the Thames estuary and over Kent.
This band of rain will fragment on Saturday but there will be pockets of rain until lunchtime and then it will turn more showery. Some of these will be heavy, so keep an eye on the Netweather Radar as many areas will see fair weather. Behind the front, there will be more sunshine and lighter winds so an improving picture for western Scotland and western Wales. Also the Lake District later in the day and Cornwall with sunshine. For southern and eastern England the cloud could linger and subdue temperatures but with a bit of convective overturning, there could be an area inland with showers and more sunshine, and warmth for west London, up to 20C.
Saturday evening looks dry for most of the UK with light winds. It will turn cooler for inland Scotland, NW England, Wales and the West Country with clear spells. Through the night the next Atlantic system will reach Ireland with blustery southerly winds and more rain.
Sunday will feel warmer for England with fine weather and rising temperatures in the morning. Any early mist or fog will soon disappear. There is some uncertainty about where will see the passing frontal system. How far the cloud, outbreaks of rain and blustery SW wind will extend to? Into Wales, even the West Midlands? Will other areas see showers, such as the North Yorkshire Moors. Or stay further northwest over Northern Ireland and Scotland, perhaps around the Irish Sea? There is a signal for the rain to turn showery over Scotland with some heavy downpours. Something for hill walkers and those heading to the Scottish mountains should be mindful of. There could be the risk of hail, and maybe lightning.
Plume of warmer air from the south for the start of the new week (ECM)
At this time of year it can feel pleasantly warm in sheltered sunny spots but if the air is cool that is noticeable in the shade or after dark. Sunday will feel warmer as the airflow shifts. Cardiff up to 16C and Cambridgeshire or Hertfordshire seeing 19 or 20C. York could see 18C, as could the Moray coast to the lee of high ground. Greater London might reach 21 or 22C. The UK will become dry during Sunday night.
Monday could bring 23 or 24C in the southeast and a warmer day for much of the UK.
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