Headline:

Dry and mostly cloudy on Thursday.

Today:

It will be a largely dry and cloudy day, however some bright interludes possibly breaking through the cloud. Breezy at times, especially near the coast. Maximum temperature 6 °C.

Tonight:

A largely dry and cloudy evening with a few clear intervals possible. Becoming cloudy overnight with outbreaks of rain starting to spread eastwards over the area. Minimum temperature 1 °C.

Friday:

A cloudy morning with outbreaks of rain. Becoming mostly dry in the afternoon, just the odd shower in the west, with bright or sunny spells developing. Breezy. Maximum temperature 8 °C.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

A band of rain will move east early on Saturday, followed by blustery showers, these continuing through Sunday and Monday. However, still plenty of long dry spells with occasional sunshine.

Broadly changeable during this period with Atlantic frontal systems moving across the country and shorter dry and bright interludes in-between. Rain and showers typically heaviest and most frequent in the west, with more sheltered eastern areas seeing much smaller amounts of rain. Often windy with a chance of gales at times. Temperatures well above average at first, likely falling closer to average towards the end of February and into March, perhaps briefly cold enough for some wintry showers or even snow in upland areas of the north. A very small chance of more settled weather by the end of the period.

Confidence remains low through this period. The most likely outcome is a continuation of rather changeable conditions, with low pressure systems tending to pass close to or across the UK, bringing occasional spells of wet and windy weather, especially in the north and west. High pressure to the south may build across the UK at times to bring some drier, quieter interludes, this probably most frequent in the south and east - the chances of prolonged settled weather look very low. Temperatures are likely to be near or slightly above average for the period as a whole, though some relatively short-lived interludes of colder conditions remain possible.