A gradual change this week as temperatures dip and rain appears

Well, what a Bank Holiday (where available). It was hot and sunny. Wales and Northern Ireland both saw their warmest August bank holiday Monday on record. Hawarden, Flintshire 29.1C and Magilligan, Co. Londonderry at 24.5C. Although it wasn’t a bank holiday in Scotland, the day record for the 25th August was broken with 27.1°C at Charterhall in the Scottish Borders.

And all the time, a change in the weather was lurking out in the Atlantic, allowing a long weekend before the weather across the UK turns fresher and more unsettled during this week. 

The huge swirl of cloud is the remnants of Hurricane Erin. This large low pressure dragged up very warm air over western Europe during the Bank Holiday weekend but a cold front is now making its way over the UK. High pressure remains over central southern Europe.

The UK’s southerly winds will veer to a westerly. There will be some rain along the frontal band, but not enough. Some heavier bursts for western Britain but the front will fade as it trundles across Britain. Just catching the eye on the western side of the Atlantic is Tropical Storm Fernand, well out at sea. 

The frontal band will be fading early on Tuesday with just more cloud and a few showery outbreaks by the time it reaches eastern Britain. This first cold front will stir the air a bit with a difference for Northern Ireland on Tuesday. Temperatures will be around 17 to 20C. There will be a scattering of showers through the afternoon for Scotland and Northern Ireland with isolated heavy downpours. England will have another very warm day thanks to lots of sunshine and lingering heat from Monday. Temperatures will widely be in the mid 20sC just a bit lower for coastal counties of NW England.  Wales will be around 19 to 23C so still feeling warm in any sunshine but feeling fresher by the evening.

Even by the middle of the week, ex-Erin is anchored south of Iceland but another little feature will nip to the south and bring rain from the southwest to Ireland and the UK.  

This next band will stir the atmosphere again with the highest temperatures in the east and the north, where the sunshine remains for longest. 

There will be some heavier rain passing by on Wednesday, welcome rain but it could include some thundery bursts too. This band will be more coherent than the one on Tuesday but again will fade as it reaches East Anglia. 

Thursday and Friday look more mixed. There will be more showers, particularly for exposed western parts. Temperatures will just ease down through the week, getting closer to average. There will still be bright or sunny times when the temperatures will respond but the air will feel different, as will the evenings. There could be some heavier rain in the south by Saturday but there is low confidence around this.