Wednesday will start with a notable contrast across the country. A band of rain, heavy at times, will be affecting northern Scotland during the morning, accompanied by strong winds. This rain will gradually move south‑eastwards through the day, reaching parts of northern England and north Wales by the evening. As it clears, brighter conditions will follow, with sunny spells developing behind the rain, particularly across Scotland.

Elsewhere across the UK, it will be rather cloudy at first, but there will be increasing breaks in the cloud through the morning and into the afternoon. Many central, southern and eastern areas should see bright or sunny periods developing, and where sunshine appears it will feel pleasantly warm. Temperatures will be near to, or a little above, average for the time of year, with the far south and east feeling especially mild in the sunshine.

During Wednesday night, the band of cloud and rain will continue to move south‑eastwards across England and Wales, though rainfall will gradually ease and become lighter. To the north and south of this band, conditions will turn dry with clear periods developing, particularly across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Under these clearer skies, temperatures will fall away, leading to a colder night with widespread frost by dawn.

Outlook for Thursday

Thursday will begin on a cloudy note across the far south‑east of England, with some light rain or drizzle at first. This will clear through the morning, while a few early showers may also affect parts of the east coast. For most other areas, it will be dry with variable amounts of cloud and some clear or sunny spells developing.

As the day progresses, cloud will increase across western and north‑western areas, with rain arriving later in the afternoon and evening. Over higher ground in Scotland, some of this rain may turn to snow. Winds will also strengthen in the north‑west, with a chance of coastal gales developing later.

Temperatures on Thursday will be near to, or a little below, normal, giving a cooler feel compared to recent days, particularly where winds freshen.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Alex Deakin, said: “Wednesday will be a very different day across north‑west Scotland, where it will be wet and windy. Rain will edge southwards towards the Central Belt and gradually push across Northern Ireland as well, turning things wetter and breezier after a dry start. As colder air returns, some snow will fall over the Scottish hills. Eventually, the rain will creep into the far north of England and possibly into north Wales too.

READ MORE: Week ahead: What to expect from the weather this Easter weekend

“Most of England and Wales will stay largely dry through the day, though it is likely to remain quite cloudy, with fewer brighter spells than today. It will still be mild, but not as warm as Tuesday, with temperatures a couple of degrees lower. Highs of 13, 14 or even 15°C are still possible.

“Behind the cold front, colder air will move in and it will start to feel noticeably chillier, particularly as winds turn northerly later. This will bring more snow over the mountains, while the rain band continues southwards into northern England, Wales and eventually the Midlands and south‑west England during Wednesday evening. The rain will weaken as it moves south, with many places staying dry ahead of it until the front clears overnight into Thursday.

“A ridge of high pressure will then bring a colder start to Thursday. Beyond that, attention turns to the Atlantic, where a succession of low‑pressure systems is expected to develop and move towards the UK, bringing a mixed and changeable picture as we head into the weekend.”

You can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store. 

leaves-and-rain