Rain falling on the horizon over the sea. Photo Brian Cook

Met Office daily weather: A changeable start to the week continues

The week's changeable start continues with sunshine for some and weather warnings for others

Tuesday will bring a mix of weather across the UK. Much of England and Wales can expect a dry day with sunny spells, particularly away from the northern and western fringes. Here, cloud will be more prevalent, with outbreaks of mainly light rain and drizzle, especially in the north-west. It will be breezy in these exposed areas, but for most, winds will be moderate.

Temperatures are set to rise nationwide, with a notable uptick across Scotland, where it will be several degrees warmer than of late. Highs of 18 to 20°C are likely across southern and eastern England, with some locations reaching 21°C. Northern Scotland will also see temperatures climbing to 19 or 20°C, making it feel pleasantly warm for the time of year.

As night falls, a spell of persistent and at times heavy rain will move north-east across Northern Ireland into Scotland, also affecting north-west Wales and northern England. Elsewhere, it will remain dry, with clear spells in the south allowing a few fog patches to develop. Here, it will turn locally chilly, with a grass frost possible in parts of south and south-west England. In contrast, it will be very mild overnight across Northern Ireland and Scotland, where temperatures will hold up in the low teens.

Outlook for Wednesday

Wednesday will be cloudy and breezy over Northern Ireland and Scotland, with outbreaks of rain, these persistent and heavy at times over western hills and mountains. Sheltered eastern areas will see drier and brighter spells. England and Wales will generally remain fine, with variable cloud and the most prolonged sunny spells in the south, especially once any early mist or fog clears. It will be chilly overnight in the south, but exceptionally mild in the north. Daytime temperatures will be near or a little above average, feeling warm in sunnier and sheltered spots.

A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for western Scotland between 5pm on Wednesday and 6am on Friday. 

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Aidan McGivern, said: “There’ll be plenty of sunshine for the south of England, the Midlands, and eastern England on Tuesday. Some sunny spells as well for eastern Scotland. And feeling pleasantly warm here with the winds warming up as they travel over higher parts to the south and west. But we're going to see those outbreaks of rain continuing for central and western Scotland through the day, Northern Ireland as well.

“Again, on and off, mostly light rain, even the odd spot for parts of Wales towards the end of the afternoon. Cloud tending to thicken, but always the brightest weather once again in the south and east with temperatures a degree or so up compared with Monday's 19°C or possibly 20°C. And again, high teens possible in the northeast of Scotland. But then it all changes into Tuesday night.

“We'll see more persistent and heavier rain arrive into Northern Ireland, pushing its way into western Scotland as well. And this is the start of a very wet spell midweek for western Scotland in particular because we're just going to see this trail of weather fronts pushing again and again into the northwest of the UK. Isobars tightening and this long fetch of very moist air coming in from the southwest dumping an awful lot of rainfall into western southwestern Scotland in particular."