466 replies to this topic

[i luv snow]

they suggest a cold february, and i can see it turning out that way. note im sayign cold, not snowy, but a snowy spell is what im really hoping for, and im more cofident of there being one in February at some time, than i would have at any other time

[shuggee]

Monday 6th February to Sunday 12th February

This week will get off to a largely dry start, but there will be outbreaks of rain in the north at first. That rain will make its way south on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will be followed by a strengthening north-to-northwesterly wind around the middle of the week.

This will feed blustery showers across exposed northern coasts. Some of these will be wintry at times and could slip as far south as East Anglia.

It will be a mild, but dull, start to the week. Brighter skies will move in behind the rain as the weather quietens down across much of the UK towards the weekend. We could even get above average sunshine totals across parts the south and east.

Temperatures will fall away towards the weekend with a return to overnight frosts for many. There'll also be a cold wind blowing for a time towards the coastal fringes of the North Sea.




Monday 13th to 19th February

A slack south-to-southeasterly flow will keep temperatures on the low side and it could be pretty chilly for southern England in particular. Frosts are certainly likely at times.

Eastern areas could have a little rain at times with the brightest skies having the best of any sunshine.




Monday 20th February to Sunday 5th March

West will probably still be best for sunshine. East Anglia, the Midlands and eastern Scotland will possibly turn rather wet at times.

From BBC Weather

[shuggee]

I've just noticed something with these forecasts. Go back through them and have a look at what the last graphic says for weeks 3 and 4.

It hasn't changed this year!

[lukenmudge]

Not sure what you mean, but theyre are links that change, so old links will look the same as the now forecasts. Makes sense?!

Or have i missed the point?

LM

[shuggee]

Ahhhhhhhhh - Luke that makes perfect sense now!

*Repeat to self - I am an idiot*

In that case I'll go back and edit out the links in old forecasts as they are misleading

[Stuart]

We may have had a brief hint at some rain recently, but with such a prolonged dry spell for much of the UK, it hasn't really touched the sides, so to speak.

2005 across England and Wales was the driest year since 1973, and just during January of this year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland have had the driest January since 1997. Rainfall totals have been well below average.

It is clutching at straws a little but, if we're lucky, we might get rainfall amounts approaching average values in East Anglia and the Midlands around the end of this month.

Many reservoirs are running worryingly low, and winter drought conditions have been declared in the far southeast of England. On top of that, February is statistically a rather dry month, as most of the rain returns during the start of Spring. So, what we really need is a good dollop of rain!

Well, as luck would have it, it seems that the rain dances have been working - the outlook is far more unsettled for the coming few weeks, and it looks as though we will all see some far more appreciable amounts of much needed rain.

Monday 13th to Sunday 19th February

Low pressure will dominate the scene this week. After seeing a change in the weather over the weekend, the coming week sees plenty of wet and windy weather across the UK. Towards the end of the week, there may be some rather heavy spells of rain across southern England, where it is so badly needed.

Tuesday, of course, is St Valentine's Day! During the day itself, it could be drier on the whole before a deep depression winds itself up later on. Late in the evening and overnight, there will be a good deal of heavy rain around and some very strong winds - so if you are heading out for a romantic interlude, not only are you likely to get a soaking, but all the petals will be blown off your flowers as well!

More spells of heavy rain with strong winds will continue to move across the UK right into the weekend, with a fair bit of the heavy rain coming across southern England.

With the wind coming in from the west/southwest, it will be mild with temperatures nudging into double figures. It also should greatly reduce the risk of overnight frosts, except perhaps in the most sheltered areas.




Monday 20th to Sunday 26th February

This week continues on the depression theme for the most part - low pressure will still bring mild, wet and rather windy conditions for many parts of the UK, with the wettest weather likely to be in the northeast.

However, high pressure could be building from the south from midweek onwards. The wind will still be westerly, so it should stay mild, but the weather itself looks to be settling down somewhat, especially in southern areas. Most places should still see average rainfall, but in the south that may not amount to much.

With more settled conditions, overnight temperatures may well dip low enough for some local ground frost to develop, but this shouldn't be too sharp.




Monday 27th February to Sunday 12th March

Into the beginning of March, and therefore the beginning of the meteorological Spring, we may well expect the typical showery scenario.

In fact, although eastern areas look most likely to see a fair amount of rain, the rest of the UK looks rather more settled, and temperatures may well not be so mild, although it's unlikely to veer the other way into cold weather.

With more settled conditions, overnight temperatures may well dip low enough for some local ground frost to develop, but this shouldn't be too sharp.

However, it's more likely that overnight frosts will make a more general comeback, with some of the chillier nights (but sunniest days!) likely for southwest England and Northern Ireland, which hints at easterly winds for a time.



'Did it rain on your Valentine..? Well, hopefully the weather is all that's unsettled! But will this run-up to spring help relieve the drought in the southeast?'

http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[multi cellular thunderstorm]

Monday 20th to Sunday 26th February

This week continues on the depression theme for the most part - low pressure will still bring mild, wet and rather windy conditions for many parts of the UK, with the wettest weather likely to be in the northeast.

However, high pressure could be building from the south from midweek onwards. The wind will still be westerly, so it should stay mild, but the weather itself looks to be settling down somewhat, especially in southern areas. Most places should still see average rainfall, but in the south that may not amount to much.

With more settled conditions, overnight temperatures may well dip low enough for some local ground frost to develop, but this shouldn't be too sharp.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml


They got it all wrong for this week coming. Don't know why they bother with the monthly outlook, just gives them a worse reputation. They should just stick to going 5 days ahead max. then most likely they will be right.

Edited by shuggee, 20 February 2006 - 12:03 .

[The PIT]

Come on it gives us something to Laugth at.
True it does give them a bad rep though.

[shuggee]

Today's offering:

Quote

Monday 20th to Sunday 26th February

Following an increasingly cool and windy weekend, the north-easterly wind looks set to stay for a while. Although persistent rain and the strongest winds will slowly ease away through Monday in the southeast of England, there will be a fair amount of cloud still being blown in off the North Sea.

High pressure will build from the north, keeping the wind coming in from the east. This means that we're likely to see the best sunshine through the week, across western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England and perhaps northern most parts of Wales.

Southern and eastern areas, away from the settling influence of the High and baring the brunt of the onshore winds, will see a lot more cloud and scattering showers, which could turn sleety at times and give some hill snow too, especially later in the week.

It's a cold wind and where the winds are strongest (eastern and southern England) it will feel quite biting at times. Elsewhere, it will still feel cold due to its influence.

Overnight frosts will become widespread once again, with daytime temperatures really struggling - especially under the thickest cloud in the east.






Monday 27th February to Sunday 5th March

By this time, high pressure will predominate over Scandinavia, bringing cold, north-easterly winds to much of the British Isles. The wind will be most noticeable in exposed eastern counties, so you'll really feel the chill here.

Temperatures are expected to be below average, particularly over central and southeast England. Showers are likely, chiefly affecting eastern districts (due to the wind direction, it's the exposed coastal counties that will get the most). Western areas, on the other hand, should see a fair amount of sunshine.

But, with clear skies, night-time temperatures will really tumble. Frosts may well be widespread, though eastern coastal counties (with more cloud from the showers) should manage to escape.

Later in the week, low pressure may develop in the southwest, bringing rain and higher temperatures to here - but with rain coming in over such cold ground, there may well be some falling as snow before the rain itself sets in.






Monday 6th to Sunday 19th March

The weather should be milder by now, with low pressure becoming established to the south of the Denmark Strait. With more cloud and a change in the winds, the biggest change would be the overnight temperatures - as they could rise to well above average in the north.

In other respects, this looks to be a fairly standard early spring pattern; a return to the 'sunshine and showers'. Near average amounts of rain predicted through this time.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[shuggee]

This week's punt:

Quote

It is now safe to say that this has in fact been the coldest winter across southern parts of the United Kingdom since the winter of 1996/97. Temperatures across the south have typically been around half a degree below the long term average.

Conversely, parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland have had average temperatures approaching 1 Celsius above the norm.

Of greater significance, as we have been reminded recently in the press, is the lack of rainfall. Taking the UK as a whole we've barely had 60% of the average winter rainfall and even less has been recorded across much of southeast England.

Monday 27th February to Sunday 5th March

Just like last year, the end of winter comes with a sting in its tail. Bitterly cold northerly winds will bring snow showers to many parts of the UK.

The week will begin with a cold front sinking south in the form of rain, sleet and snow. Its passage will then introduce that cold Arctic blast from the north.

That is of course the ideal set-up for sunshine and showers as cold, unstable air sweeps in. Scotland and Northern Ireland will see the biggest change in conditions. Last Friday, Lusa (Isle of Skye) reached 10C (50 Fahrenheit). This week temperatures will struggle to get above freezing in many northern areas.

Most of this week's snow will be across the north with blizzards at times. Eastern areas are also prone to significant snowfall. Western fringes will also find themselves exposed at times and by the end of the week, most of us will have had some snowfall.under the thickest cloud in the east.




Monday 6th to 12th Sunday March

Westerly or southwesterly winds are expected across most areas. This will lift temperatures towards average values (8 or 9C) and they will certainly be noticeably higher than that the previous week.

This milder airflow should bring plenty of rain to all parts of the UK. Some of which could fall as snow in the north.




Monday 13th to Sunday 26th March

Southwesterly winds will help to nudge temperatures up further during the second half of March. We can look forward to some typically spring-like days in the form of sunshine and showers.

I must add that there is some degree of uncertainty over the latter part of the forecast due to the transition between the very cold weather and the attempt of the milder air to break in from the west.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[Stuart]

Summary
Had enough of the snow? Good news! Spring is coming at last

The 1st March is the Meteorological start to the Spring season - although this year, you'd be forgiven for thinking just the opposite! The bitterly cold start to the new month has certainly defied that statement, but it's looks as though Spring is finally just around the corner.

However, now that we are officially putting the winter months behind us, we can take a look at how well the season was forecast back in September, as the statistics have now been compiled… and some of the results may be rather reassuring!

There were five main forecast issues that can now be verified. They are as follows:

- that the mean temperatures across Europe would be below average
- that the mean temperatures across the UK would be below average
- that the mean temperatures across southern UK would be below average
- that the total rain/snowfall would be below average
- that the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) would be negative

Of these forecasts, the Met Office correctly predicted four of them. In fact, in spite of having such a bitter, snowy end to February across Scotland and Northern Ireland, these countries statistically had a warmer than average winter season overall, which makes it the 5th such winter in a row here.

But for England and Wales, it has been the coldest winter since 1996-7, which is just what the Met Office predicted all those months ago. It must be said that it has also been very dry - not just as a season, but throughout 2005 as a whole, and a good deal of rain is now sorely needed.

So, with Spring on our doorstep at last, let's look ahead and see how many April showers are heading our way…

Monday 6th to Sunday 12th March

After such a bitter spell, the week will still begin on a cold and frosty note, but perhaps not as raw as it has been feeling. Monday morning begins with a widespread frost, and quite a sharp one at that, with early morning temperatures as low as minus 5 Celsius. There will still be a few snow showers across the northeast of Scotland, but not as many or as heavy! It will still be a cold day, with a few scattered wintry showers, but still plenty of fresh, crisp sunshine on offer.

But from Tuesday, things start to change. Low pressure heads in from the west - this will start an ongoing transition back to the mobile westerly weather pattern, which tends to bring us our wet and windy weather. In this instance, as the weather front approaches over such cold air, it's likely to bring some snow for a time, especially in the northeast, but it will turn to rain - and so we will all see a good dollop of rain either during Tuesday or through Wednesday when the low pressure really sets in.

By this time it's looking rather windy as well, so a proper springtime scenario! I will be a little quieter in Scotland, with some snow over the mountains, but then there is a bit of a lull in the proceedings here. Clearer skies here mean a frosty night but a sunny Thursday - and a cold Thursday night too. For the rest of the UK, there will be more cloud around, and so the nights won't be as cold, allowing the daytime temperatures to climb to average values through the day.

Into the weekend, it's a case of sunshine and showers, and by this time the temperatures should be heading into the mild category across the board.




Monday 13th to Sunday 19th March

During week two, we keep the westerly flow, and so bands of rain followed by sunshine and showers will continue to cross the UK. East Anglia looks as though it could get quite a bit of rain, and of course it is much needed here.

The westerly wind will be strong at times, with gales likely across exposed northern and eastern areas. But temperatures will stay mild for most, with Northern Ireland looking likely to see some very mild weather. But, with rising temperatures, it's worth mentioning that where there may still be lying snow, the inevitable thaw will now set in, and so there could well be some localised flooding.

With more cloud around and a generally milder regime, night-time frosts should become a distant memory - at least, any frost is only likely in localised pockets in the usual cold spots across the UK.




Monday 20th March to Sunday 2nd April

We keep to the sunshine and showers theme, which gives us a very seasonal flavour for the start of April! Again, the winds could be rather strong at times, and perhaps Scotland and Northern Ireland could be drier than usual.


http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[Mr_Data]

Well Everton's latest monthly prediction went embarrasingly pear-shaped after Thursday

[The PIT]

Well the these funny Monthly forecasts do keep us amused.

[Yeti]

I get so angry with these forecasts. I'm sorry (and this is not a personal dig at Everton) but there is no way it is going to be mild, wet and windy for next week, let alone the WHOLE of March.

http://www.wetterzen...cs/Rtavn961.png
http://www.wetterzen...s/Rtavn9616.png
http://www.wetterzen...s/Rtavn9617.png

Mmmm. Very zonal, with a strong W'ly flow over the UK, bringing heavy rain and mild temps, with an Ice day in Scotland.

Now we can just laugh it off, but there will be poor souls out there who might be basing there March activities upon that!

[shuggee]

Today's update:

Quote

The good old British weather has provided us with plenty to complain about recently. We've gone from cold and wintry to mild and wet. At times it has been dull but however you look at it, it's always been interesting.

We now find ourselves in that transition period between winter and spring. This often leads to some impressive temperature variations. As you'll recall we began the month with temperatures struggling to reach 2 or 3 Celsius in a bitter northerly wind. Westerly winds then lifted temperatures to 14 Celsius in some parts by the middle of last week.

Winter returned with a vengeance this weekend and with 2 weeks to go before British summertime, spring remains on hold.

Monday 13th to Sunday 19th March

This is going to be another cold week for much of the UK. At this time of year we should expect temperatures to be creeping into double figures. We may well see these kind of values in Northern Ireland but the rest of us will find temperatures struggling to reach 5 or 6 Celsius. Mind you, it won't even feel as warm as that by the middle of the week as a bitter easterly wind sets in.

That same easterly wind will bring snow flurries to eastern parts on Scotland and England by the end of the week. Ahead of that, Snow is again expected across Scotland, Wales and much of Northern England.

It looks like a fairly cloudy week for many of us. There should be some brightness in the southeast at first but the majority of this week's sunshine will come late on in sheltered western parts but even then totals are likely to be below average.






Monday 20th to Sunday 26th March

High pressure sitting over the near continent will lessen its hold somewhat, but it should be dry for much of the week. There should be a fair amount of sunshine by day, but clear skies will mean yet more frosty nights. Patchy fog is also likely.

Temperatures will also struggle by day in spite of the sunshine. The only area that's looking a little less cold is the far north and east of Scotland, where temperatures should manage to creep up to near normal values.

However, we will all still be struggling to see much, if any, rain. The whole week looks decidedly dry, especially towards the east where the influence of that high pressure is strongest. There may be a little rain (or even a few snow flurries) elsewhere, but it won't amount to anything significant.






Monday 27th March to Sunday 9th April

Finally, during the latter half of the month, the high pressure should give way to the more changeable westerly air stream of low pressure. This should establish a much more Spring-like feel, with temperatures recovering across the UK (even becoming very mild for some!).

Bands of rain, followed by showers, will become a regular feature. However, with cold air having sat across the UK for such a long time the first band of rain coming in could bring snow for a time to end off March.

As it will be more unsettled, there won't be as much sunshine - but it will feel a lot more comfortable without the raw wind and frosty starts.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[shuggee]

Today's monthly forecast from the BBC:

Quote

You may recall the saying, "As the days get longer the cold gets stronger." We start this period at the Spring Equinox with the Sun passing the Equator on 20th March. However, despite the imminent start of BST (British Summer Time on Sunday 26th), summer-like weather still seems an awfully long way away.

So far, this March has been the coldest for the best part of 20 years. Much of England and Wales haven't seen temperatures in double figures for many weeks now. Compare that with this time last year when temperatures were close to 20 Celsius across much of the UK.

If, like me, you're fed up with this cold spell, the bad news is that it doesn't look like we'll see any proper warmth for another couple of weeks.

Monday 20th to Sunday 26th March

The long and short of it is that we need to brace ourselves for yet another cold week. The good news is that we will lose the easterly wind. The bad news is that we pick up a northerly wind. This will bring another blast of snow to northern Scotland.

At the other end of the UK, Devon and Cornwall can expect some rain to start the week but elsewhere, we're looking at a largely dry week with temperatures staying well below average.

High pressure looks set to dominate around the middle of the week with long spells of pleasant sunshine. Thereafter, milder, wet and windy weather will attempt to break through towards the end of the week. It will be a struggle and it may turn to snow over the higher ground.

Regardless of this, I think it's still likely to be rather chilly when we change those clocks at the weekend.






Monday 27th March to Sunday 2nd April

High pressure will remain close by and it should be dry for much of the week. I think we can expect a fair amount of sunshine by day, but clear skies will mean yet more frosty nights. Patchy fog is also likely.

Temperatures will still struggle by day in spite of the sunshine, and rainfall amounts are likely to be on the low side. There may be a little rain (or even a few snow flurries), but it won't amount to anything significant.






Monday 3rd to Sunday 16th April

The wintry joke should just about be over by April Fool's Day with high pressure giving way to a more changeable air stream. Sunshine and showers are expected but temperatures will continue to struggle right up to the Easter period.

Night frosts will remain a feature of the forecast for the foreseeable future but as the sun continues its passage north, it will inevitably gain sufficient strength to make it feel pleasant at times.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[shuggee]

This week's ditty:

Quote

Harold Wilson once said that "a week is a long time in politics", it's also a long time in weather. After the recent cold spell, last week began with temperatures just about reaching average values across much of the United Kingdom.

Lee-on-Solent was the warmest place on Monday with a high of 11C (52F). By the end of the week most of us were enjoying genuinely spring-like temperatures and by the weekend, parts of East Anglia saw temperatures lift to the dizzy heights of 17C (63F).

The milder weather also brought some welcome and useful rain to the parched areas of southern England. The coming days will bring further rain at times but also some pleasant spells of sunshine in between.

Monday 27th March to Sunday 2nd April

Low pressure will remain close by for much of this week. This will continue to feed mild air in from the south or southwest and will also lead to spells of wet weather across all parts.

Prospects look good for some useful rain too across the Midlands, East Anglia and the southeast. These areas will probably see the wettest weather with above average totals.

It will be rather cloudy so I would not expect to see huge amounts of sunshine. Having said that, there will be some decent sunny spells at times and if you're sheltered from the wind it may even feel warm.

Despite the cloud, I think we can generally look forward to a mild week with temperatures remaining above if not well above average, particularly in the south. Colder weather is expected to return to the north during the latter part of the week and that could bring with it some overnight frosts. These should be slight and reasonably well scattered.






Monday 3rd to Sunday 9th April

High pressure is expected to build from the north and west allowing a cooler northwesterly airflow to develop with some decent spells of sunshine. Temperatures are likely to dip below average with overnight frosts becoming a little more widespread.

Northern Ireland may well become rather dry but normal amounts of rainfall are expected elsewhere. There may even be some wintry weather for a time in the north.






Monday 10th to Sunday 23rd April

The area of high pressure is not expected to be with us for long and as it eases away, a southwesterly flow is expected to return across the UK. I think less chilly rather than mild could be a fair reflection on the expected temperatures.

Rainfall totals may remain a touch below the norm for most of us with the sunniest skies across the north and west.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[Stuart]

Summary
Mixed fortuned this month! Springtime sunshine and showers, but a chilly start for some.



April Fool's Day may have come and gone for another year, but at least the month started on a relatively Spring-like note! Through the past week, temperatures have at last started to rise for most of us, although that milder weather has really struggled to reach the far north of Scotland.

Because of this, there has been a wide range of temperatures across the UK this week, with values typically of just six or seven degrees in the Highlands and Northern Isles of Scotland, whilst further south, temperatures have been comparatively soaring into the high teens. Northern Ireland had a high of 16 Celsius on Monday afternoon in Ballykelly with temperatures across Lincolnshire and the Channel Islands reaching 17 and 16 Celsius respectively on Thursday and Friday.

With a slight change in the wind direction, it's looking a touch cooler for the start of this week, but as the month marches on, it's looking like a rather typical April; lots of showers, some sunshine in between, with some frosts likely during the odd quieter interlude. This bodes fairly well for the upcoming London Marathon, as a warm sunny day is the last thing you need if you're going to be pounding the streets for a few hours on the 23rd April!

So, without further ado, let's look ahead to the outlook for the next four weeks….

Monday 3rd to Sunday 9th April

The week begins with a slight change in the wind direction. From the mild westerly that has brought temperate conditions for many of us, we now find ourselves in a northwesterly or even northerly wind. It's the result of a high pressure system to the west of the UK trying to nudge in, and so the chillier wind prevails.

But, having said that, it will also be more settled for some of us. The best of the sunshine will be across Wales and the southwest of England, which is closest to the centre of the high pressure. Broadly, it's a case of sunshine and showers, but the most frequent showers will be across the northwest of the UK, and could be wintry over the hills of Scotland and across the Pennines too. Later in the week, more persistent rain will push southeastwards across the UK, bringing a spell of rain for all of us.

With a colder airflow, and with showers dying away by night, clearer skies will mean a return to night-time frosts, which could be a shock to the system if you've been enjoying the mild mornings!

So, on the whole, it should be a bright and rather sunny week, with showers at times and some chilly mornings for a time.




Monday 10th to Sunday 16th April

Northern Britain looks most likely to stay unsettled, with rain or showers, and temperatures around average for mid-April. Further west, it's looking rather cloudy and cool, although overnight frosts are likely to be more frequent here.

Central and southeastern England could end up rather wet - the rain is much needed, so it is a good thing - but of course that means that there won't be a lot of sunshine and it will feel rather cooler than you might expect.




Monday 17th to Sunday 30th April

Northern Britain again looks pretty damp - but largely by staying cloudy and drizzly rather than seeing heavy bursts of rain from time to time. In fact, temperatures could start to climb into the mild category, so it may even feel warm despite the drizzle!

Night frosts will remain a feature of the forecast for the foreseeable future but as the sun continues its passage north, it will inevitably gain sufficient strength to make it feel pleasant at times.

Further south, it's still a wet outlook, and for the southeast again too. It will stay on the cool side and, although there will be showers, there should be some sunshine in between to enjoy as well.


http://www.bbc.co.uk...y_outlook.shtml

[shuggee]

Quote

What a different week it's been! Hasn't it been chilly? And to boot, there's been more snow in the north west, even some wintry showers further south too over the weekend, and some very chilly, frosty mornings. Surely now, things will start to warm up; otherwise, we'll still be talking about snow in May!

We may have had lots of showers this last week, but relatively few have reached the southeast corner, where rain is still so badly needed. Perhaps we'll get some more significant rainfall here at last this week - but still, whatever falls won't be nearly enough to alleviate the drought problems which still prevail.

So are we in for a milder spell? Let's have a look at the month ahead…

Monday 10th to Sunday 16th April

The northerly winds over the weekend finally give way to a brisk, but much milder, westerly wind. This will enable temperatures to recover quite dramatically, and we should see highs back up to the mid-to-high teens again through this week, and in some areas it will feel really rather warm - at last!

With a westerly wind, it usually means low pressure to the north of the UK, and broadly speaking, this will be the case. It also signifies bands of rain, and we can expect some more significant rainfall for most of the UK this week, mostly in the northwest of the UK, which is fairly typical when rain heads in from the west. There should still be a good amount of rain in the very thirsty southeast corner.

Western coasts will be predominantly cloudy, with an onshore wind, but in more sheltered central and eastern areas, not only will it be relatively drier, but also sunnier - so you're more likely to see sunshine inbetween the spells of rain, and it will get warmer in the sunshine too.

As a general overview, Monday will be quite settled with sunshine in the south, and rain spreading into the northwest through the day. That rain spreads into the southeast by Tuesday, although it won't be as heavy by this time, but further showers or rain will still be around for the northwest of Scotland mostly.

Midweek, southern areas are looking generally dry, with the best of any sunshine along the south coast, but cloud and rain for the northern half of the UK again. Thursday sees a wet start in the south, but then sunshine and showers for all of the UK. Friday again is a mixture of sunshine and showers, although a few more showers will reach southern areas in the brisk wind.

Over the weekend, it remains unsettled, although it's looking drier with more sunshine in the south and east.






Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd April

During this week, high pressure starts to build from the southwest, which means two things: it will be more settled, with a good deal of dry and sunny weather; also, daytime temperatures will climb further, so it will feel really quite warm! Still, with clearer skies at night, it will still be chilly after the sun goes down, although we should stay without a frost. It could get a little misty or foggy in the early mornings though.

Any wet weather will be the result of the daytime sun sparking off a few showers, so most of these are likely inland, with few if any around the coasts.

In fact, coastal warmth could start the year's sea breezes - this will mean a refreshing onshore breeze setting in through the afternoons, mainly in the east of the UK.

Of course the London Marathon hits the streets on Sunday the 23rd, and if it stays warm, then that's not such good news for those taking part. But stay tuned, and I'll make sure you have a further update on this next week






Monday 24th April to Sunday 7th May

The wind will turn more northwesterly, and so it will turn a little cooler towards the end of the month. It looks fairly dry again, with showers if anything, but no significant rainfall from weather fronts at this stage.

Sunshine will be in greatest supply across the southwest, closest to the centre of the high pressure system.

Wrom: TWFAOBUZXUWLSZLKBRNVWWCUFPEGAUTFJMVRESKPNKMBIPBARHDMNNSKVFVWRKJVZCMHVIBGDADRZFSQ
HYUCDDJBLVLMHAALPTCXLYRWTQTIPWIGYOKSTTZRCLBDXRQBGJSNBOHMKHJYFMYXOEAIJJPHS

[Stuart]

Summary
Staying unsettled, but warmer for a time.



It's been a long weekend of course, with a pleasant Easter break, and it's even been rather warm for some of us in the sunshine! Even so, this Spring has really had a slow start, and the coming few weeks don't seem to be bringing much more warmth. Having said that, considering that 15cm of snow fell in parts of Kent last week, the snow should be firmly behind us for now! Well, for most of us anyway… The London Marathon finally takes place this coming Sunday, with thousands of determined runners ready to take on the gruelling challenge in our capital.

Read on to see how the weather may help or hinder those taking part, and those lining the streets to cheer the brave souls on!

Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd April

Easter Monday brings mixed blessings to start off a rather unsettled week. After a cloudy start in the northwest, heavy showers persist over western Scotland but sunny spells will appear elsewhere. England and Wales will be quite cloudy at times but with sunny spells and showers developing.

By Tuesday, more persistent rain gathers across Northern Ireland, Wales and northern England, with cloud but very little rain appearing in the south of England. Scotland stays showery in the west, but bright and mainly dry in the east.

Wednesday sees the rain turn heavier and more persistent across England and Wales, but the rain will again be lighter in the southeast corner, where it is still so badly needed. Scotland and Northern Ireland look mostly dry with some sunshine again for eastern Scotland.

By Thursday, it's the turn of Scotland and Northern Ireland to get the rain - it will still feel mild though, as the breeze is coming in from the southwest. Light wind across England and Wales may mean a misty start, but it's looking like a dry day with plenty of sunshine, especially across southern and eastern England.

The end of the week and the weekend keeps the rain and/or showers in the northwest, with some quite strong winds developing at times. England and Wales may see a little rain at times, more so on Saturday, but for the most part it will be dry and bright, with sunny spells, and still feeling mild.

And so, at this stage, the London Marathon is likely to be a dry day, with sunshine and perhaps on the warm side too - not great for the runners, but perfect for all you Londoners to get out there and cheer them on, so you have no excuses!




Monday 24th to Sunday 30th April

With the wind coming in from the southwest, temperatures should hold well in the west, but more than likely it will turn warmer again for sheltered eastern areas. In the shelter from the westerly wind, most of the sunshine will be across eastern parts of the UK, mainly eastern England.

Showers or longer spells of rain will be the general outlook, although there will be some sunny spells in between showers, with only a few of the showers getting into the southeast of the UK. The heaviest downpours will be in the northwest, with some rather prolonged spells of rain here through the week.




Monday 1st May to Sunday 14th May

For the beginning of May, it's all looking rather uncertain - anything could happen! The most likely scenario is for the weather to remain changeable, with showers but a fair amount of sunshine.

However, as a northerly breeze is looking likely, temperatures could be rather disappointing, in spite of the sunshine, with some particularly chilly nights - at least, with the warmth of the sun, the daytime temperatures should recover somewhat, but it will still be cool for May.



13th May is Cup Final Day - Is it likely to rain or shine? More details next week!