Lighter winds and relief for flood affected regions today as the rain edges east

Saturday's crazy weather has gone now, as a slow-moving front tries to amble its way slowly eastwards across England today. So there'll be lighter winds, and as drier, brighter weather moves into many western areas, this'll be good news for those flood-ravaged areas in the West and in particular South Wales, although there'll be some rain here at first this morning. Ahead of the front yesterday though, moist tropical air from North Africa and western Mediterranean brought summery conditions to some eastern areas, with temperatures reaching a ridiculous 26C near Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire, but it's a different story here today.

Most of England and Wales are waking to a dull start, and while it's still dry towards Norfolk and the South East, pulses of rain over the remainder of England and mostly East Wales soon spread to most parts. The rain will be heavy at times this morning over central and eastern areas with the chance of thunder, where, in complete contrast to further West, the farmers and gardeners actually need some wet weather. Through the afternoon, the rain may tend to become lighter and patchy from the South and West, allowing drier, brighter weather over West Wales to slowly 'edge in'. Across Northern Ireland and Scotland, you'll wonder what 'all the fuss is about' in a mostly fine day here with sunny spells. It'll also be mostly dry, apart from some showers across the North of Scotland and the Northern Isles at first.

Winds'll be lighter over England and Wales, but with a change of direction into the North or North West, it'll also be noticeably cooler. Parts of East Anglia and South East could see the thermometer some ten degrees Celsius lower than yesterday, with top temperatures mostly in the range 16 to 18C. Over Scotland and Northern Ireland, 11 to 14C is more likely but with light winds it'll feel quite pleasant in the sunny spells there'll be on offer.

Central and eastern England keep a lot of cloud after dark where it'll be misty, with further rain at times across the East Midlands, East Anglia and the South East that'll slowly become lighter and patchy through the night. Most other parts see clearing skies, and with light winds, it'll soon turn quite chilly. Mist and patchy fog although not widespread will form in rural areas, where some parts chiefly Scottish glens will have a ground frost, as temperatures fall mostly to between 2 and 6C. The cloud in central and eastern areas, however, should prevent temperatures from falling below 8 to 11C, but it may feel a little chilly in a northerly breeze.

That slow-moving front continues to plague much of eastern England together with East Anglia and the South East making it dull and misty here on Monday, with patchy rain and drizzle. Elsewhere you'll start the working week on a finer note under a weak ridge of high pressure. There'll be sunny spells once early patchy mist, and fog has cleared, and with winds mostly light, it'll feel quite pleasant in the sunshine by the early afternoon.

Highland and the North of Scotland, however, see more cloud, with bursts of rain expected here through the day, where a South Westerly wind will freshen a little. Maximum temperatures 10 to 14C in the North and 15 to 18C further South.

There'll be little change into the evening and overnight, with the East and South East remaining misty, with patchy mostly light rain and drizzle. For the remainder of England, Wales and central and eastern Scotland however, it'll be a dry, fine evening and night. There'll be clear spells, and with light winds, it'll soon turn chilly and misty again, with patchy fog and a ground frost forming in some rural areas, as temperatures fall mostly to between 1 and 6C. Across Northern Ireland and the North and West of Scotland, a southerly wind will bring more in the way of cloud, with outbreaks of rain moving into Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland during the night. Here though it'll be milder, with temperatures unlikely to fall below 5 to 8C.