The start of December brings unsettled weather across the UK, with periods of rain, strong winds, and occasional brighter spells. Here’s what to expect for Monday and Tuesday.

Monday will be dominated by windy conditions and spells of rain affecting most areas. The rain will be heaviest over the upslopes of western Britain, particularly in western and southern Wales and north-west England. Several weather warnings are in place across western and north-western England, western Wales, and southern Scotland.

Across north-western parts of the UK, clearer intervals will develop, but these will be accompanied by showers—some of which could be heavy, with a risk of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Temperatures will be on the mild side for much of England and Wales, although the wind and rain may make it feel cooler at times. Scotland and Northern Ireland can expect temperatures closer to the seasonal average.

Rain and strong winds will continue for many parts of England and Wales overnight and may also affect parts of southern and eastern Scotland. However, these conditions are expected to clear from the west later in the night, with showers following behind. Elsewhere, there will be clear spells and further showers, some of which could be heavy with a chance of hail or thunder. Temperatures will remain near or slightly above average for early December.

Outlook for Tuesday

Tuesday will see showers affecting windward coasts in the south and west, becoming more organised across Northern Ireland and western Scotland by the end of the day. Showers will also develop inland across parts of southern England and Wales, again with a risk of hail and thunder. Other areas will see a mix of a few showers and plenty of dry weather.

It will remain windy, especially along southern, south-western, and north-western coasts, where there is a risk of gales. Temperatures will be close to normal for the time of year.

Showers will gradually die out inland during the evening but will continue around and just inland from western and southern coasts. Western Scotland may see more frequent and organised showers for a time, with breezy conditions persisting. Elsewhere, the night will be mainly fine and dry, with temperatures close to average for early December.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Tom Morgan, said: "It's a very wet start to December for many of us out there this morning. Some heavy rain around and an amber warning in place across parts of Wales through the day today. And as well as that, we have a number of yellow warnings for rain across parts of the UK as well. Anywhere from central and southwestern parts of Scotland down across northwestern parts of England, Wales, and the southwest of the UK could well see at least 20 to 40 millimetres of rain through the course of Monday. Over the highest ground in the most exposed sites, we could well see half a month's worth of rainfall in 24 hours, over 100 millimetres, and that's undoubtedly going to lead to some travel disruption and some fairly widespread flooding. So do keep an eye on our weather warnings and leave some extra time for your journeys through the course of today.

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“It's a wet and a windy start across many parts of the UK, particularly across England and Wales. Coastal gales through the Irish Sea and around some southwestern coasts as well. 50, 55mph gusts perhaps in the most exposed spots and 40 to 55 mile-per-hour wind gusts inland as well. So very blustery out and about. There will be some water on the roads, as I say, and there'll be spells of rain off and on through the course of the day. Most persistent across southwest England, Wales and northern parts of England, perhaps a bit more intermittent across the southeast of England and East Angus. Some dry spells here, but pretty windy.

“Across Scotland and Northern Ireland though, here, well, we will see some sunny skies developing through the course of this afternoon. There will be a few showers out across the northwest. But there will be some lengthy dry spells of weather here. And temperatures will reach 8 to 10°C. So quite a bit higher than they were yesterday, but across England and Wales where it's going to be a much, much milder day compared to on Sunday. Highs of 12, perhaps as high as 14°C in places.

“So well above average for early December, but obviously not feeling that way given the strength of the wind and the rain. And there will still be further swells of very heavy rain around through the course of this evening. Further flooding on the roads is quite likely and the rain may well will come back in across southern and eastern parts of Scotland for a time through the early hours of Tuesday morning. But for most of the UK, it will turn drier through the course of tonight. Clearest skies developing across the Midlands and eastern parts of England in particular. But there will be a whole rush of showers just moving in on that brisk south-westerly wind to some southern and western areas of the UK.”

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