Saturday will start on a fairly settled note for many, with sunny spells developing across large parts of the UK. Showers early in the day will be mostly confined to the Northern Isles. However, conditions will gradually turn more changeable as a band of cloud and outbreaks of rain, already affecting Northern Ireland and western fringes of Scotland, extends eastwards across the country. Eastern areas are most likely to stay dry for longest.

It will feel breezy at times in western regions and across the far northeast during the morning. Despite some brighter interludes, the extensive cloud will limit the temperature rise for many. Daytime maximum temperatures will generally be close to average, reaching the mid-teens Celsius in parts of southern and eastern England, though still feeling rather cool under cloud.

Through Saturday night, cloud and outbreaks of rain will continue for a time, particularly across eastern and south-eastern England and the Northern Isles. Elsewhere, clearer spells will follow from the west, accompanied by showers. Some of these showers may be locally heavy, with a small risk of isolated thunderstorms, especially over western Scotland. It will be noticeably milder than recent nights, particularly across eastern and south-eastern areas.

Sunday: Showers developing, brightest centrally

Sunday will begin bright across north-western parts of the UK, although showers will quickly develop, some turning heavy. Northern Ireland will see showers early, with other areas following later in the day. Across south-eastern England, a weakening frontal zone will linger, bringing thicker cloud and outbreaks of showery rain, some of which may be heavy at times.

In contrast, a central swathe of the UK is likely to enjoy fewer showers and more in the way of brightness. Winds will be light for most, but temperatures will remain a little below average. Daytime maximum values will stay on the cool side, with little change expected into Monday before a slow recovery later in the week.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Alex Burkill, said: “It is a bit of a chilly start out there. There was even a touch of frost overnight, but gardeners will be glad to hear that this could be the last frosty start that we're going to have for a little while. Currently, there is a bit of a ridge over us, which is why things are quite settled. And we still have low pressure to the east of us and it's this that's dragging in some cooler air, which is why it's also quite chilly.

“There's a frontal system to the west that's going to bring some rain later on. It's already pushing its way across parts of Northern Ireland and we are seeing some outbreaks of rain. It’ll also be quite cloudy across parts of Wales and southwest England. Further east however it's a chilly start to the day but quite a bright one. A bit of mist and fog in the southeast that will clear this morning and then eventually we see cloud coming in from the west becoming more widespread.

“Temperatures in the east are likely to be up a degree or so over recent days, 16, 17°C perhaps in the warmest spots. So feeling a little bit warmer because the winds for many will be relatively light. Further west because of the cloud and the rain coming through at the time that we'd expect the highest temperatures, temperatures are going to be a little bit suppressed in the low to possibly mid-teens."

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Cloudy skies in the Mourne Mountains