Met Office daily weather: Fog clearing, sunshine for many, patchy rain in the northwest

A foggy start to Monday but with sunshine breaking through as the day goes on

Monday will begin with fog slowly clearing through the morning, particularly across southern and central areas. Once the fog lifts, most regions will enjoy a largely fine day with plenty of sunshine, though conditions may be hazy at times. The northwest, including western Scotland, will see cloud thickening as the day progresses, accompanied by stronger winds and patchy rain.

Temperatures will reach maxima around the seasonal average following a chilly start, with local highs of 18-20°C in the south, making it feel pleasantly warm in the sunshine and light winds for many.

Overnight, cloud and wind will persist in the northwest, with further patchy rain and drizzle, mainly affecting Northern Ireland and western Scotland. Elsewhere, conditions will remain dry with clear spells, especially in southern areas, where temperatures will drop and fog patches may develop. Central and southern England and Wales are likely to see similar minima to the previous night, with some areas experiencing a locally chilly night.

Outlook for Tuesday

Tuesday will be dry with sunny spells across much of England and Wales, except for the northern and western fringes where cloudier skies will bring outbreaks of mainly light rain and drizzle. The northwest will remain breezy. Temperatures will be near or slightly above average, with a noticeable uptick nationwide, particularly across Scotland, where several degrees of warming are expected. Highs of 18-20°C, and locally 21°C, will be fairly widespread across the south and east, with northern Scotland also reaching 19-20°C.

A spell of persistent and at times heavy rain will move northeast across Northern Ireland into Scotland, fringing northwest Wales and northern England. Elsewhere, conditions will remain dry, with clear spells in the south once again allowing a few fog patches to develop and a locally chilly night, with the possibility of a grass frost in southwest England.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Tom Morgan, said: “Some pretty dense patches of fog across eastern parts of England this morning. But for most of England, Wales, and eastern Scotland, it will be a fine morning to come with plenty of sunny spells, although the cloud will tend to bubble up gradually as we go into the course of this afternoon. Some patchy rain across nine first thing, but also brightening up here. The rain mostly across northern and western parts of Scotland. Heaviest this morning, but gradually tending to become lighter and more patchy as it spreads its way gradually eastwards into this afternoon.

“It will be quite a breezy day though, particularly across the west of Scotland. And here actually we could see quite gusty winds of up to 40 miles hour at times, but those winds coming in from a subtly direction. So, for most parts of the UK today, we will see temperatures at around or slightly above average for the time of year. So, highs of 18°C or 19°C across the south of England won't feel too bad at all. Generally, because of the cloud and the breeze though across western Scotland feeling somewhat cooler here into this evening and overnight then that suddenly breeze continues to stay fairly fresh across Scotland and Northern Ireland. That's going to keep temperatures from falling away too much and there'll actually be further outbreaks of rain pushing in from the Atlantic as we go towards midnight and into the early hours of tomorrow morning.

“So, a fairly wet and soggy picture for parts of Northern and Western Scotland and Northern Ireland by the end of the night. Otherwise, England and Wales staying largely dry. The best of the clear skies further south and east and perhaps once again one or two isolated mist and fog patches. Here in the countryside, temperatures are going to fall into single figures. And whilst it won't probably be quite as cold as it was last night, I wouldn't be surprised to see the odd pocket of frost in the most prone spots. But look at those temperatures further north. Widely in double figures across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“So, a very mild start to the day on Tuesday here, but also fairly cloudy and at times damp. So, outbreaks of rain off and on through the course of Tuesday, probably most persistent across western Scotland. Otherwise though, most of England and Wales away from Cumbria should have a largely dry day. The cloud will tend to bubble up in general, but there will be still some fairly lengthy spells of sunshine in the east and the south into the afternoon. And 19°C or 20°C in the best of the afternoon sunshine. So quite warm for the la latter part of September."