30/08/2014 Weather for the Week Ahead

Hello. Despite the promising start to summer,

this month may turn out to be the coolest August in over 20 years.

Part of the responsibility for that is down to ex-Hurricane Bertha,

which shook up the weather patterns across the UK,

plunging them into a much cooler regime.

Another ex-hurricane, Cristobal,

currently pushing across the North Atlantic,

may be about to change that.

Not at the moment, as we're still stuck with

a west to northwesterly regime as we go into the start of the weekend.

Weather fronts clearing away from the south coast early on.

A lot of dry and bright weather here.

Those west to northwesterly winds

bringing showers across western areas initially,

pushing eastwards on the breeze.

But certainly fewer around than we saw on Friday.

Most of you will have, if not a completely dry day,

a largely dry day.

A few exceptions - northern Scotland.

Even into the afternoon, heavy showers there,

particularly to the northeast, the odd rumble of thunder.

One or two showers into Northern Ireland.

Southern Scotland best for some of those drier moments.

Same, too, in northern England,

although to the northeast

we could see one or two heavier showers late on.

In the wind that we have, we'll have showers

running from North Wales

through into the Home Counties during the afternoon.

Good gaps between them,

and south of that across southern counties of England,

it should be fine and bright.

Temperatures across the country, mid to high teens, if not low 20s.

The showers will generally fade away as we go through the night

and into Sunday.

One or two spots of rain in the west.

A little bit cooler night

than the night that takes us into Saturday morning.

But a fine, bright, pleasant start to your Sunday.

That's because we've got this ridge of high pressure with us.

By this stage, ex-Hurricane Cristobal getting closer to Iceland.

But for us, high pressure means a mostly a dry day in store.

There could be a few mist and fog patches around first thing.

Weather fronts trying to push in from the west, spreading some high clouds.

There could be hazy sunshine at best across western areas

and then later on some patchy rain.

Northern Ireland and into the western fringes as the breeze picks up.

But with good, dry and bright weather elsewhere a pleasant Sunday.

17-22 Celsius, the high.

Weather fronts may push across us on Sunday night into Monday.

Again, linked to Cristobal, but compared to Bertha,

which brought a change for the cooler, Cristobal's pushing north,

helping to induce this build of high pressure from the southwest.

It's going to be a gradual process into the start of next week.

We've still got those weak weather fronts

which come to lie across some southern parts

of England and Wales. Fairly cloudy.

Some damp and drizzly weather, but brightening up through the afternoon.

Elsewhere largely dry and sunny day in store.

As this area of high pressure continues to build into Tuesday,

the weather fronts become less of a feature.

There will be areas of cloud around.

It's not a completely sunny high by any means.

Once the sunshine breaks through with light winds,

we're starting to bring warmer air our way.

Temperatures day on day will start to creep up.

Showers few and far between. Most will be dry on Tuesday.

And that trend continues into Wednesday.

By this stage, the high pressure to the east of us.

And with light winds, a few mist and fog patches expected

first thing in the morning.

One or two showers possible across northeastern parts of the UK

and one or two to the northwest.

But in the sunshine and light winds

we're now getting most of us close to 20, if not above.

And the trend continues from Thursday into Sunday,

as we go into the following weekend.

High pressure to the southeast of us, dragging in that warmer air.

But low pressure to the northwest.

There is a sign that low pressure could get very close by.

It will come into play at some point during this period.

While we do start warm with some good dry and sunny weather,

there is a brief wetter spell on the way.

Exactly when that occurs

is the biggest uncertainty at the moment,

but it looks like it will be brief

and once it clears away

we could be back to the sunshine and warmth again.

What is it?

That? That's a monkey.

This is a parrot.

Where are they going to live?

Your George has finally cracked.

Wow! He looked right at me.

George, what's going on?