Headline:

Breezy start, sunny spells and showers, occasionally heavy. Cooler.

Today:

Breezy start with a mixture of sunny spells and showers, occasionally heavy. Winds will ease through the day, with showers also fading into the evening. Temperatures cooler than on Wednesday. Maximum temperature 15 °C.

Tonight:

Mainly dry with some evening sunshine in the northeast, cloud thickening from the southwest, bringing late-evening rain, heavy at times. Winds strengthen later. Minimum temperature 8 °C.

Friday:

Breezy. Rain initially light, turning heavier mid-morning before clearing east. Isolated afternoon showers possible, with brighter or sunny spells developing by evening. Maximum temperature 16 °C.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Sunny spells and showers Saturday. Drier and sunnier with winds easing Sunday. Cloudier on Monday with showers spreading inland from coastal areas.

High pressure to the north or northeast of the UK will bring plenty of dry weather and sunny spells for most at first. Low pressure in the Atlantic will try to push weather fronts towards the UK from the south west, but these may remain slow moving. Some parts of the east coast could be on the chilly side with low cloud and onshore breeze, but further west it will likely feel quite warm, especially in sunnier areas. From next weekend and into the start of the following week, there are signs that more unsettled weather could return for a time, bringing rain or showers to some areas.

Signals are not very strong for the extended forecast range, but in broad terms higher pressure is more likely to the north, with lower pressure to the south. Across Scotland and northern half of England this would mean drier and more settled weather. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland, Wales and the southern half of England perhaps seeing a greater chance of rain or showers at times, but plenty of scope for fair weather in between. Temperatures will probably be close to or slightly above average overall, perhaps becoming more widely warm at times.