Met Office daily weather: Largely dry and settled

Mid-May brings mostly dry, settled UK weather, but slight changes in temperature and cloud cover will influence how each day feels across the country.

As we move through the middle of May, the UK continues to experience largely dry and settled weather, though subtle shifts in temperature and cloud cover will shape the feel of the days ahead. 

Wednesday will bring a mix of sunshine and isolated showers, with most areas staying dry. The only exception will be the far southwest, where a few light showers may develop. Elsewhere, sunny periods will dominate, although low cloud will linger across central and eastern Scotland and northeast England during the morning. This cloud is expected to clear inland but may drift southward to affect other North Sea coastal areas later in the day.

Temperatures will vary significantly across the country. The east and northeast will feel noticeably cooler due to a northeasterly breeze bringing in colder air. In contrast, the southwest and parts of southern England and Wales will enjoy much warmer conditions, with highs reaching 24-25°C in places like southwest England and south Wales.

Wednesday night will remain dry with clear skies for many, although patchy low cloud and mist may return to eastern areas. A notable drop in overnight temperatures is expected, particularly from eastern Scotland down to north Wales, where localised grass frost and even isolated air frost may occur in sheltered spots. However, a light breeze and some cloud cover will help keep temperatures milder in southeast England and the far northwest.

Outlook for Thursday

Thursday will continue the dry trend, with early cloud in central and eastern areas gradually breaking up or retreating to eastern coastal districts. Most of the UK will enjoy plenty of sunshine, especially inland and in the west.

Winds will be light to moderate, and temperatures will again show a contrast, cooler along the North Sea coast, but warm to very warm elsewhere, particularly in the northwest.

Overall, the midweek weather offers a pleasant mix of sunshine and warmth for many, though those in the east should keep a light jacket handy.

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Alex Deakin, Met Office presenter and meteorologist, said: "Most places are fine, dry, and sunny, just that low pressure potentially bringing one or two scattered heavy showers still across Devon, Cornwall, and maybe the Isles of Scilly. But again, like Tuesday’s heavy showers, they’ll be very hit and miss.

“The vast majority staying dry, fine, and sunny. But we’ll notice more and more of this breeze, that’s going to have even more of an influence on the temperatures. We’ll be struggling in the low teens in places. Elsewhere inland, perhaps not quite as warm as Tuesday, but still up to 23, 24°C.

“Why so much cooler on the east coast? Well, just 10°C, the water temperature in the North Sea. So, with that breeze coming down over that chilly sea, that’s why temperatures are going to be suppressed anywhere we’ve got that wind feeding in. And that wind will continue to feed in because the high really isn’t shifting too far.

“Through the night, staying largely clear, but the mist and low cloud will seep inland for Thursday morning. It may take a while before it moves back to the coast. And again, where you’ve got the breeze from the sea, temperatures will struggle.

“But a bit of sunshine will make all the difference. By the time we get to Thursday, even where it’s sunny all day, temperatures are only really going to get into the low 20s. So, it is turning a little bit cooler as we go through this week.”

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