Westonbirt - The National Arboretum (Gloucestershire) weather

Headline:

A few bright spells today. Turning wet and windy tonight.

Today:

Some early brightness in the east, otherwise another rather grey start with patchy rain or drizzle, especially over the moors. A few breaks developing by the afternoon, but further outbreaks of rain likely in the west. Winds strengthening later. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Tonight:

A band of heavy rain and strong winds will move eastwards this evening. Rain clearing during the early hours allowing some clearer spells and a few showers to follow. Minimum temperature 8 °C.

Wednesday:

A brighter day on Wednesday with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. A few showers possible, especially across Cornwall and north Devon. Winds easing with temperatures near normal. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Unsettled and windy on Thursday with a band of heavy rain arriving later. Colder with some blustery showers on Friday, before turning drier and less cold on Saturday.

Mostly changeable through this period, with Atlantic frontal systems passing close to or across the UK at times. These will bring spells of rain and showers, most frequent and heavy in the west or northwest, and perhaps accompanied by strong winds. However, there should also be some drier interludes under transient ridges of high pressure, with longer dry periods most likely in the south and east, though even here some wet weather is likely at times. Temperatures will be near average for the period as a whole, but with some shorter-duration colder interludes at times when frost and hill snow will be possible. Later in the period there may be a transition to more blocked or slower evolving weather patterns, though confidence in the detail of this is low.

More blocked, or slowly evolving, weather patterns are favoured for late March into early April, with high pressure probably building to the north or northeast of the UK. Whilst confidence is low in how this will influence the weather across the UK, this tends to lead to a more prolonged period of a certain weather type, be it settled or unsettled. In any case, a reduction in Atlantic-dominated weather patterns is favoured, although some wet weather remains possible at times, perhaps more especially in the south and east whilst northwestern areas tend to be drier than average. Temperatures will probably be close to average for the period as a whole, but there is an increased chance of some colder conditions developing for a time with a risk of frost.