Tuesday will start dry for many, with light winds and a mix of variable cloud and sunny spells. Through the day, cloud will increase at times as outbreaks of rain move southwards, turning more showery as they do so.

Over higher ground in Scotland, there is the chance of sleet or snow, reflecting the colder air moving in. Behind the rain, brighter conditions will follow, but this will be accompanied by a marked drop in temperatures. Blustery wintry showers are likely to affect the Northern Isles and far northern Scotland. It will feel cold in the north, while temperatures in southern areas will be closer to average for the time of year.

Cloud and patchy rain will continue to edge south and south-west overnight, although many central and southern areas should stay dry with clear spells developing. Further north, a few blustery showers will persist across the Northern Isles, wintry at times. As winds ease and skies clear, temperatures will fall away, bringing a risk of rural frost, particularly across northern regions.

Outlook for Wednesday

Wednesday looks to be a largely dry day for most, with light winds, broken cloud and sunny intervals. A few showers may develop, mainly across Northern Ireland, Wales, south-west England and parts of eastern England, with some of these perhaps turning heavy in the south-west. Far northern and north-western Scotland may become cloudier later with some patchy rain. Temperatures will remain below average nationally, with the chill most noticeable across northern and eastern areas.

Dry weather is expected to dominate Wednesday night, with variable cloud and clear spells allowing temperatures to dip again. Frost is likely in a few places, most particularly in eastern areas. A handful of showers will continue to affect western regions, while some rain may reach far northern and north-western Scotland later in the night.

Met Office presenter and meteorologist, Tom Morgan, said: “It’s a dry start for many, though some are waking up to early mist and fog in valley areas. That will quickly clear in the strong May sunshine. For most, it will then be a largely dry day with plenty of cloud at times, but everyone should see at least a few sunny intervals. The best of the sunshine is likely across parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland this afternoon. Elsewhere, cloud will tend to increase, bringing the chance of one or two mostly light showers.

“In the south, it will be another fairly warm day for the time of year, with highs of 19 or 20°C in the far south of England. For many, though, it will feel cooler than yesterday, with temperatures reaching just 9 or 10°C in the north of Scotland. Compared with yesterday afternoon, parts of eastern Scotland and north-east England will be 5 to 7°C cooler, making it feel cold for early May. Brisk northerly winds in northern areas will add to the chill, with it feeling closer to 4 or 5°C in some exposed spots.

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“This evening will start fairly cloudy, but some late sunshine is expected. A few showers will linger into the early hours of Wednesday, though for most it will turn dry with clearing skies. It will be a cold night, particularly across northern parts, where widespread frost is expected. Towns may fall to 0 to 2°C, while rural areas could dip to –3 or even –5°C, a sharp frost for early May. Gardeners and growers should take note. Even further south, a few pockets of frost are possible where skies stay clear.

“Across Wales and the south-west of England, it will be a little milder, with scattered showers continuing into Wednesday morning before easing later. A few isolated showers will also drift in off the North Sea into parts of eastern England and the south-east. Otherwise, many areas will have a largely dry day with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Northern Scotland is likely to be cloudier with spells of rain at times, and it will feel fairly cool for many on Wednesday afternoon, with highs mainly between 11 and 13°C, perhaps 14 or 15°C in the best of the sunshine.”



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