Weather and climate change

Headline:

Storm Dave moving in over the Easter weekend.

Today:

Cloudy and breezy with rain and drizzle slowly clearing, but lingering in the south. Some brighter spells developing in the north with sunshine and scattered showers, some heavy and wintry over higher ground. Feeling warm in the south.

Tonight:

Light rain clears most areas except the far south before returning north later. Elsewhere clear spells with northern showers, wintry on hills. Patchy frost in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England.

Saturday:

Storm Dave moves northwards across Northern Ireland and western Scotland, bring cloud, rain and strong winds. Coastal gales likely here, but drier further south. Stay windy but mild.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Sunday begins with heavy rain, hill snow and gales, followed by showers mainly north. Monday turns clearer, frosty and dry. Tuesday sees cloud and patchy rain west, warm east.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 3 Apr 2026

Rather changeable conditions are expected through this period, as a series of Atlantic frontal systems track eastwards across the UK, accompanied by some strong winds at times. These will bring occasional spells of rain or showers, heaviest and most frequent in the west and northwest, with longer drier interludes likely in the south and sheltered eastern areas. Whilst temperatures will be close to average for the period as a whole, there may be opportunities for some short-lived warm spells in the south and east. Conversely, occasional colder interludes in the northwest will bring the chance of some wintry showers, especially to hills, and overnight frost.

Updated: 13:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 2 Apr 2026

It is probable that more blocked, or at least slowly evolving, weather patterns will become increasingly dominant through the middle of the month. Whilst confidence is low, this may result in more settled and drier conditions overall. There may, however, still be some more unsettled interludes at times, especially in the south and southwest. Later in April, the probability of more changeable and unsettled weather increases. Temperatures will probably be around or a little above normal for the period as a whole.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 2 Apr 2026