UK weather

Headline:

Mostly dry, with sunny spells. Warm for most.

Today:

Most areas will be dry with sunny spells, especially across central and southern Britain where it will be very warm. Cloudier and cooler across northern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland, with some light rain or drizzle developing at times.

Tonight:

Cloudy across northern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland with some light rain or drizzle possible at times. Dry elsewhere, with clear spells. A few fog patches possible towards dawn.

Thursday:

Most areas remaining dry, with plenty of sunny spells. Cloudier in the far north with a few showers possible here. Warm inland but cooler along coastal areas.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:

Dry and very warm at first, especially in the south. Rain then spreads southeastwards through the weekend, followed by sunny spells and showers. Temperatures trend closer to normal by Sunday.

A changeable period is likely overall, with many areas likely to see a mixture of bright or sunny spells and some rain at times. Northwestern areas are more likely to see the focus of rainfall, but southeastern areas should also see some showers. Confidence becomes lower as we approach the turn of the month, but there are hints that high pressure could return for a time, which would mean dry conditions resuming, especially in the south. Winds will be mostly light or moderate, but occasionally fresh or strong around some coasts, mainly in the north. Temperatures will be near or above normal, warmest in the south, and perhaps becoming very warm again by the start of August.

Higher pressure is considered generally more likely than lower pressure through August. This means settled and dry weather will likely prevail, especially across the south. Some rain is still likely at times, especially across northern parts. Although many areas may see mainly dry weather for the much of the period, occasional summertime thunderstorms are possible on some days given the right ingredients. Winds are expected to be generally light to moderate, and occasionally fresh around coastal areas. Temperatures will very likely remain above normal, with potential for further hot spells, particularly in the south.