Cloudy end to the week, some showers for eastern areas and the southwest. similar over the weekend, showers extending across the south. Turning milder and unsettled by mid-next week
After a clear and frosty start for central and western areas, today will become increasingly cloudy from the east across many parts, thick enough to bring some rain in the northeast. Friday and Saturday look to continue the rather cloudy theme, most places staying dry, but the easterly breeze will bring showers to eastern Scotland, while showers will affect SW England on Friday before spreading east across the rest of southern England on Saturday. Sunday’s looking sunnier, but with a chance of showers for the east coast and far south. It will remain on the chilly side in the easterly or southeasterly flow, but not as cold as the last few days. Next week starts chilly, cold in the north with a cold easterly returning, but through Wednesday it will turn milder, but unsettled, as low pressure moves in off the Atlantic.
So, for now, ice scrapers likely for those driving first thing across central, southern and western areas, where skies have stayed clear overnight, the temperatures have been lowest across the south and fell as low as -6C in Oxfordshire. Also, there are some freezing fog patches to watch out for. Towards the east a grey start for eastern Scotland and much of eastern England, with mist, hill fog and drizzle or outbreaks of rain from NE England northwards.
The cloud in the east will tend to spread west across Scotland, Northern England and the Midlands as far as north Wales, thick enough to bring some patchy drizzle or light rain towards eastern coasts, rain perhaps turning persistent across eastern Scotland. However, parts of southern England and Wales may keep sunny spells through the day and stay dry. Threat of some heavy showers reaching the far southwest of England by the evening. Highs reaching 6-8C generally, perhaps 9-10C for the far west. A light easterly breeze, so not feeling as cold for Scotland as yesterday.
Ending up a cloudy day for many, after the bright and frosty start in the south and west
Clear skies locally across the west, particularly Wales and Midlands, will allow a patchy frost here, but frost not as widespread as last night, with generally a lot of cloud around for most, especially in the east – with outbreaks of rain continuing for eastern Scotland. Threat of heavy showers spreading north across Devon, Cornwall and perhaps south Wales by the end of the night.
Moving into Friday and the fairly benign conditions continue for most, but the day will be rather cloudy for many, cloud thick enough to bring further patchy rain and hill snow across Scotland, though most staying dry with some holes in the cloud allowing some bright or sunny spells in the south and west. Across SW England, west Wales and southern Ireland there will be heavy and perhaps thundery showers at times spreading north through the day. Less cold across the south, temperatures reaching 9-12C, for the north 7-9C.
As we head into the weekend, low pressure close to the southwest will slowly push a weather front in across southern counties, bringing the threat of heavy showers further east across southern coastal counties on both days. Further north, both Saturday and Sunday an easterly breeze will drag in a far bit of cloud, but there will be some sunshine here and there, especially on Sunday, the best of the sunshine with shelter from the wind in the west, mostly dry too, but some showers possible towards eastern coasts. Turning a little colder again, with the easterly breeze picking up, but not as cold as the last few days.
Next week, Monday continues on the chilly to cold side with a brisk easterly breeze, which will bring showers west across many parts, wintry over northern hills. Tuesday drier and less cold, turning milder from mid-week, as brisk a southerly wind returns, but with it spells of wind and rain, as deep low pressure system moves towards NW Britain.
Cold from the east at first next week, before milder air from the south moves in by Wednesday