Weather and climate change

Headline:

Largely dry and settled but increasingly cloudy.

Today:

Cold start for much of England and Wales with widespread frost. Cloudy in the northwest, cloud gradually spreading southeastwards though still plenty of fine and sunny weather for central, east and south England. Some light rain in northwest.

Tonight:

Some clear spells in east and south with some frost likely and perhaps a few fog patches. Cloudier in the west and north. Some rain in north.

Saturday:

A fine day in south and eastern parts with some sunshine. Cloudier in west and particularly the north where some rain likely, persistent for northwest Scotland. Milder parts of north.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Often largely cloudy, but generally dry with some brighter spells at times. Patchy rain, mainly hills in the far northwest. Risk of patchy frost and fog overnight where skies clear.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC) on Fri 21 Jan 2022

A largely cloudy start to this period for all, with perhaps some isolated fog forming under any clear skies in the south, otherwise largely dry and fine here. After a possibly brighter but colder start in the north, rain arrives across the northwest and is perhaps accompanied by some strong winds. Temperatures are likely to be close to average in the south, whereas milder in the north. Settled conditions looking to continue to dominate through the period, however, rain or showers at times for the north and northwest, with some stronger winds, mainly restricted to the far north, although possibly unsettled conditions sinking south at times. Heading into February, this settled theme is likely to remain, with drier than average conditions for most.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Jan 2022

Early February is likely to see a continuation of a north/south split with more settled and cloudy weather expected in the south, and generally drier than average, while the north will be more changeable, milder, with some spells of rain. There is an increased likelihood of more unsettled conditions becoming established, with the northwest likely to be the wettest area, but showers or longer spells of rain may spread to most areas at times, with the southeast likely to be the driest. Spells of strong winds are likely to develop more widely at times. Temperatures likely to be near or slightly above average although short lived colder interludes are possible. Any snow likely to be restricted to high ground in the north.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC) on Thu 20 Jan 2022