Weather and climate change

Headline:

Often cloudy with outbreaks of rain likely almost anywhere.

Today:

Often cloudy, perhaps with a few brighter spells in the east. Outbreaks of light rain and drizzle possible almost anywhere. The heaviest rain and showers across Wales, northwest England and parts of northeast Scotland. Temperatures close to average.

Tonight:

Mainly places remaining cloudy with further showers or longer spells of rain, these most likely across northern areas. Any breaks in the cloud allowing for a few fog patches.

Sunday:

Cloudy with further outbreaks of rain, the heaviest of which will tend to transfer eastwards during the day with brighter skies developing in the west. Windy in the northeast.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Remaining unsettled with showers or longer spells of heavy rain affecting most areas, coupled with brisk winds at times. Further snow on northern hills. Below average temperatures in the north.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC) on Sat 31 Jan 2026

Frontal systems over the North Atlantic, steered by a south-shifted jet stream, are likely to approach the UK at times, but tending to stall as they encounter a blocking area of high pressure to the north and northeast. This will result in further spells of rain at times, falling in areas already sensitive to flooding. As these bands of rain spread northwards, some snow will be possible on high ground in northern England and Scotland as they encounter colder air. A subtle shift southwards of these areas of low pressure is anticipated during the second week of February, which may allow a greater chance of colder air to spread across northern UK at least, bringing an increased risk of wintry hazards for a time.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC) on Fri 30 Jan 2026

Whilst confidence is lower through this period, a south-shifted jet stream is likely to persist much of the time, steering areas of low pressure towards and south of the UK. This is likely to bring further spells of wet and windy weather, rain most frequent in the south and west, and perhaps also eastern Scotland, with the driest conditions, relative to normal, in northwest Scotland. Some hill snow will be possible at times as the wet weather encounters colder air across northern parts of the UK. Temperatures for the period as a whole will likely be close to average in the southwest, but a little below in the northeast.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC) on Fri 30 Jan 2026