Met Office Weather: Sunshine to give way to rain

As we head towards the end of the week, here's the Met Office weather forecast for Friday May 23 and Saturday May 24

Friday is set to begin on a bright note for much of the UK, with early fog patches in the far south expected to clear quickly, giving way to a predominantly dry day. Sunny spells will dominate across most regions, although southern England may see the odd shower develop during the afternoon. Temperatures will rise, making it feel warmer than recent days, welcome news for those heading outdoors.

However, the northwest will see a shift in conditions later in the day. Cloud will thicken over Northern Ireland and western Scotland, with rain arriving by the afternoon and continuing into the evening. Winds will also pick up in these areas, becoming breezy as the weather system moves in.

READ MORE: Met Office Weather Deep Dive: A change is on the way

Friday night will bring a more widespread change as rain from the northwest spreads eastwards, reaching southeast England by dawn. Some of this rain could be heavy, particularly over high ground in the north. Low cloud and hill fog are expected to develop extensively, and breezy conditions will become more widespread. On the upside, temperatures will remain milder than in recent nights.

Saturday will start dry in the southeast, but the reprieve will be short-lived. Cloud and rain will dominate much of the country, with outbreaks becoming heavy in places—especially over western hills and more generally across the west and northwest later in the day. Some eastern areas may enjoy brief drier and brighter spells, particularly in sheltered spots.

Winds will remain light to moderate for most but will strengthen along western coasts as the day progresses, becoming fresh to strong by evening. Temperatures will be mild to start, with daytime highs near seasonal norms and even rather warm in parts of the east.

READ MORE: Waters surrounding UK gripped by prolonged marine heatwave

Met Office presenter and meteorologist Honor Criswick said: "It's still going to be breezy on Monday. It’s likely to be a day of sunshine and showers, perhaps some longer spells of rain, but that's still something to watch.

“But over the next few days, around 50 to 60 millimetres of rain possible. So yes, there is more rain to come. A little bit disappointing, I suppose, for the bank holiday weekend, but it is long overdue. It's been a very dry spring indeed.

“So overall for the bank holiday weekend, it is going to be changeable and unsettled at times, but the wettest of the weather across the Northwest, feeling a bit cooler here, but it's still mostly warm across the east, where we're most likely to still see some brighter, if not quite sunny, interludes.

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