Weather and climate change

Headline:

Turning cooler and more unsettled into the weekend.

Today:

Early low cloud and fog in the southeast clears to bring warm sunny spells. A band of rain moves eastwards. Turning much cooler behind with blustery showers, some heavy with hail, thunder, and snow over northern high ground.

Tonight:

Showers persist across northern and northwestern Scotland overnight. Elsewhere largely dry with long clear spells, cloud increasing later in the south and west. A colder night brings patchy rural frost.

Friday:

Wintry showers affect northern Scotland early. Elsewhere, a cold start in the sunshine. Later, heavy rain and strong winds spread from Northern Ireland into the west, with coastal gales.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Saturday sees rain clearing east, then heavy showers and windy conditions with coastal gales north. Sunday and Monday mostly showery with sunny spells, possible thunder and temperatures near normal.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 9 Apr 2026

It will likely remain rather changeable during the first part of this period, with showers or occasional longer spells of rain interspersed with drier interludes. The pattern will likely become increasingly slow evolving, with low pressure to the northwest of the UK and high pressure over Scandinavia. This may lead to more in the way of drier, settled weather, especially in the north and east, although there will still be showery outbreaks, particularly in the south. When the winds are light, it should feel quite warm, despite temperatures most likely being close to normal for most.

Updated: 13:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 8 Apr 2026

Blocked patterns with high pressure near to the UK will probably be dominant during this period with a good deal of dry weather across the UK as whole. Some unsettled interludes could develop at times, especially in the south, where rainfall amounts could be above average at times. Temperatures will probably be near to or slightly above normal, although some cold nights are still possible.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 8 Apr 2026