Headline:

Rain spreading east. Brighter spells, and blustery showers follow. Mild.

Today:

Dry start for most, but some drizzle possible across the Pennines. Rain, heavy at times, then spreading east through the morning. This clearing by the afternoon with some brighter spells possible, but also further heavy and blustery showers. Mild. Maximum temperature 11 °C.

Tonight:

Isolated evening showers possible, but dry for most with clear spells. Cloud then thickens from the southwest after midnight, with rain possible by dawn. Mild but windy, especially over hills. Minimum temperature 6 °C.

Saturday:

Early rain easing, with brighter spells possible for a time. Cloud then thickening after midday with further outbreaks of rain spreading east, occasionally heavy. Staying mild, but also windy. Maximum temperature 12 °C.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Mostly dry Sunday with sunny spells, but isolated showers possible. Cloudier Monday, with rain likely later, clearing overnight. Variable cloud Tuesday, and perhaps very mild in brighter spells. Windy throughout.

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.