Update to include Met Office wind warning areas
Wet and windy weather is sweeping through over the next few days. A cold front will push southeastwards on Thursday and Thursday night, followed by colder air and a mix of rain, sleet, and snow showers from the northwest. You will notice the difference on Friday in that cold air, even with the sunshine.
There will be a return to frosts by night this weekend, and after the dramatic dip in temperatures on Friday, they will creep up from single figures by day. Another weather front from the Atlantic will bring some milder air from the southwest by Sunday but it will be accompanied by cloud and rain. If you find a sheltered sunny spot at the weekend, the March sunshine will make a difference.
"A period of strong winds, accompanied by heavy rain, is expected on Thursday with some transport disruption possible." MO
For many Wednesday will be fair and bright with temperatures in the south around 10 to 12C. Conditions for the northwest of the UK will deterioate as the next weather system arrives. The cloud from this is visible on the satellite image above
We have more windy weather for the northern half of the UK during Wednesday night with gales, even severe gales for the west coast of Scotland. Tiree to Skye looks very windy before dawn, and over the higher ground of the mainland.
Thursday
Thursday starts with the main frontal band over the far north of Scotland and windy weather across northern Britain, the Irish Sea and Northern Ireland. Exposed higher routes and bridges may see speed restrictions. At the other end of the UK, East Anglia, London and the Home Counties and other counties along the south coast of England will start the day with sunny spells and a gentle SW breeze.
This frontal band takes its time heading south on Thursday. As it arrives, there will be heavy rain and the winds will have already strengthened with sudden gusts. Showery outbreaks will also arrive from the west over Wales and the West Country during the morning, reaching the Midlands by the afternoon. There will be a wintry mix for the higher peaks of northern Britain, but behind the front, there will be sunshine, a noticeably colder feel to the air and these wintry showers piling in from the west.
Along the front, the UKV Model is showing line convergence. As this band arrives, there will be sudden, intense rain, with squally conditions and poor visibility. For the evening rush, this band will be over northern Wales and northern England, so tricky conditions on the roads, such as the M6. These intense lines will edge over Derbyshire and Yorkshire, into more of Wales too.
To the northwest will be clearing skies, the colder air and the wintry showers with frost in sheltered northern spots. The windy weather in the north will pick up again as an occlusion arrives with heavier showers from the northwest. This will bring proper snow to the NW Highlands, which will spread over the Cairngorms. Snow showers will scoot over Northern Ireland, other parts of northern Britain as the frontal band continues to move over SE Britain. You might hear the line convection rain and gusty winds pass by in the small hours.
Friday
It should all be away from Kent in the first part of Friday morning but there is some uncertainty here. The GFS and ECM models are slower to clear the rain than the UKV, which has it away before dawn. It may still be raining for those heading off to school or the Friday morning commute.
For southern Britain, there will be lighter winds and a hang back of cloud, from that early frontal rainband, making it a bright but fair day. A central swathe of Britain will be sunny and cold with occasional blustery showers running through. Over Northern Ireland and central Scotland, there will be the occlusion with more cloud, rain, sleet and snow and brisk southwesterly winds. Further north, the winds will be lighter with sunshine and a few snow showers.
Some windy nights in the north for the rest of this week, and becoming increasingly windy across the UK on Thursday
There will be some lively (and potentially disruptive) weather over the next few days; strong winds, although this is often for northern parts by night, heavy frontal rain on Thursday and Thursday night, followed by the turn to more wintry conditions during Friday in the north. There is enough disruption to rail services from Glasgow Central after the nearby fire. By the end of Friday, the winds will be lighter, there will be a frost and a scattering of showers bringing icy rain or hill snow. Saturday looks fine for many although with more showers for the far northwest.
Loading recent activity...
