April showers on the way during today and tomorrow. Turning cooler too.
Believe it or not, one of the oddities of April is that the current period can be very cold. There have even been some notable snowfalls in the past, but apart from on the highest peaks of the Scottish mountains we are not expecting any today. It's certainly colder than of late, however, with a slight frost first thing over sheltered rural parts of East Scotland, in what will be a story of sunshine and showers today for which April is more renowned.
Early residual cloud from overnight rain across Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent will soon move away, with many central and eastern parts, in particular, beginning fine. There'll be sunny spells, but cloud will build through the morning to produce showers. By the afternoon some will be heavy and blustery giving hail and thunder, but such is the nature of showers that not everywhere will catch one. Over West Scotland and Northern Ireland, there are already a few of showers that'll become heavier, blustery and more widespread through the morning, some giving local hail and thunder.
A moderate or fresh South West wind will be blustery at times, giving strong or gale force gusts over coasts and hills in the West and in the heavier more squally showers. Top temperatures 10 to 12C in the North and 13 to 15C in the East and South in the sunny intervals between the showers.
Further showers heavy in places are likely into the evening, but they should become lighter and fewer after dark in central and eastern areas and over more sheltered parts of East Scotland, allowing a few clear intervals to develop. In the West, over the North and West of Scotland and across Northern Ireland however, you'll continue to see a scattering of blustery showers throughout the night.
A West or South West wind should decrease a little but will remain fresh in the North and West, where there'll be further strong gusts in exposed areas. This'll make it feel chilly with perhaps a slight frost again briefly around dawn in sheltered rural parts of The Borders and North East England, but generally, temperatures shouldn't fall below 4 to 8C.
Thursday will be another day of sunny spells and scattered showers, most frequent in the North and West where some will continue to be heavy and blustery giving local hail and perhaps thunder. Across England and Wales after a fine start in central and eastern areas, there shouldn't be quite so many showers with a better chance of it staying dry particularly in the South. A West or South Westerly wind will continue to give fresh or strong gusts in the North and West but will tend to decrease later in the afternoon particularly in the South. Despite this, it may be slightly chillier, with top temperatures 9 to 11C in the North and 12 to 14C further South.
Northern Scotland, in particular, sees further showers during the evening and overnight, with some too across North Ireland and Cumbria in a moderate or fresh Westerly wind that'll feel chilly. Most other parts turn dry as the showers fade, allowing clear spells to develop especially in central and eastern areas. As winds become light, a slight frost is again possible briefly towards dawn in rural parts of East Scotland and North East England, with lowest temperatures mostly in the range 3 to 6C. The exception will be Dyfed, the South West and parts of southern England where an Atlantic system will be moving in. This'll keep it somewhat milder here, with the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall and Devon, in particular, seeing a few mainly light showers.
Friday and Saturday see outbreaks of rain moving into England and Wales, but its extent northwards is a little uncertain at present. Across Northern Ireland and Scotland, the weather should improve after some showers, to begin with. By Sunday it should be mainly dry here with sunny spells, as a ridge of high pressure builds across these parts. It'll be chilly at night though, with a slight frost.
