Met Office daily weather: Contrasting conditions across the UK

The midweek period brings a marked contrast across the UK

Wednesday begins with further rain affecting central and southern parts of England and Wales. This rain will gradually drift south-eastwards, clearing most areas by dusk, though the far southeast may see some heavy rain mid-afternoon before it finally moves away. To the northwest of the rain band, conditions will turn clearer and colder, but showers, some heavy and thundery, are likely, especially across northern areas. These showers may merge into longer spells of rain, with snow possible over the mountains.

Temperatures will feel rather cold under persistent rain and more generally in the north, while elsewhere values will be closer to the seasonal norm. By evening, showers and rain in the west and north will ease, leaving just a few scattered showers in the far north by morning. Most other areas will become dry, increasingly clear, and chilly overnight. Frost is expected to be isolated in the south but more widespread in the north, with some patchy mist or fog possible by dawn.

Air frost is likely in the far north, with temperatures elsewhere falling to the mid to low single figures. The south and southeast will remain milder, especially on the southern flank of the eastward-moving frontal wave. Under persistent rain in the south and more generally in the north, Wednesday will be a cold day, followed by a cold and frosty night for the north.

Outlook for Thursday

Thursday starts with plenty of dry weather and a few morning fog patches, but a scattering of showers will persist in the far north. Cloud and rain will move into southwestern areas from mid-morning, spreading northeast through the day. Winds will be light at first but will widely become strong from the southwest, with gales, possibly severe, developing in many western coastal areas. After a cold start, with a widespread grass frost and local air frost, daytime temperatures will be mostly near normal across central and southern parts, but rather cold in the north.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Aidan McGivern, said: “Wednesday’s weather will begin with bright skies for northern areas, but heavy, frequent showers into much of western Scotland and Northern Ireland. We could also see some wet snow over the peaks. And then a more persistent zone of damp weather moving its way south-eastwards. Nothing particularly heavy, although there will be some heavier bursts within it. And then brighter skies return to parts of the West Midlands, Wales, and the Southwest by the end of the afternoon as that front clears away.

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“Temperatures a little bit down in the north compared with Tuesday. 14°C at best in the south, but some places not getting out of the single figures across Scotland as this cluster of heavy showers moves through. And actually, many places turn drier and a little clearer on Wednesday night as a brief ridge of high pressure moves up, but only ahead of the next system. There’s rain arriving from the Atlantic with strengthening winds as we go into Thursday.”

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