21/03/2016 Weather for the Week Ahead

We're still expecting major changes in the weather pattern

across the UK by the end of this week,

just in time for the Easter weekend.

Changes are due to changes in the jet stream.

For a long time now, we've had high pressure close to our shores.

That's been anchored by a weak jet stream

that's been tending to dive north-south,

and that undulating pattern has carried on across the Atlantic.

we've got a much stronger and more powerful jet stream

that's running from west to east,

and that will drive its way across the Atlantic,

pushing away high pressure

and, instead, picking up areas of low pressure,

spinning them to our shores,

bringing a very different look and feel to the weather

by the end of the week.

At the moment, things are fairly quiet still.

It's all about cloud and sunshine. Chilly start for England and Wales.

Some sunshine in the morning across South Wales, South Midlands,

and also for southern England.

But cloud is slowly spilling its way southwards.

It should break up for northern England and eastern Scotland,

but a lot of cloud for Monday.

For western Scotland and Northern Ireland,

maybe a bit damp and drizzly.

Temperatures still in the range 8 to 12 degrees.

Monday evening, Monday night, there'll be a lot of cloud around,

so it won't be as cold for England and Wales.

The cloud across the western side of the UK could be thick enough

to give us a few spits and spots of rain or drizzle.

These are the temperatures in the towns and cities.

Because of the cloud, I think in the countryside

we'll escape a frost as well.

This is Tuesday's chart.

We've still got high pressure with us,

but this could be the last day of high pressure for a while.

Underneath that high pressure,

there'll be a lot of cloud around on Tuesday.

In the western side of the UK,

it'll be thick enough to give a little light rain or drizzle,

chiefly western Scotland, Northern Ireland.

Further east, eastern Scotland, eastern England,

this is where we've got the best chance of seeing

any prolonged breaks in the cloud, and some sunshine.

Those temperatures are very similar

to where they've been for the past few days.

Things start to change later Tuesday and into Wednesday.

The high pressure recedes

and we've got low pressure coming in from the Atlantic.

This weather front is going to be driven our way as well.

But it's a very weak weather front. There's not much rain on it at all.

What there is on it

will tend to push across Northern Ireland, into Scotland.

A few drip and drabs around the Irish Sea coast, perhaps.

But for many, southern and eastern areas of the UK, it'll be dry.

Some sunshine, especially in the south-east of England.

Blustery showers for Northern Ireland.

That weather front, what there is of it, clears through.

The next one that comes in, it looks a little bit more substantial.

There's more isobars, it'll be a windier day on Thursday.

And there may be a bit more rain around as well,

particularly Northern Ireland, western Scotland,

and some rain or drizzle for the western side of England and Wales.

Head further east and it's still likely to be dry during the day,

albeit rather cloudy.

Now, notice by this stage

everything is coming in from the Atlantic.

We have some uncertainty as we move into Good Friday.

This weather front just hanging on in the south-east of England,

and it may just keep a bit of rain going in the south-east

through Good Friday.

But away from here, a lot of dry weather.

Some sunshine, a usable day for Good Friday,

before wet and windy weather returns to the north-west

by the end of the day.

A reminder as we head into the Easter weekend.

Stronger jet stream,

we're going to push low pressure to the north of the UK.

The winds fluctuating from south-westerly to north-westerly.

What does it mean?

It means it's going to be much more unsettled, much more changeable.

The winds will be stronger as well.

That means they'll blow in some rain at times,

but there'll be some spells of sunshine, too.

So it's not going to be a wash-out over the weekend,

but it looks very different from what we've seen for some time now.

Alan, wake up - you're deflating! I'm awake.

I can't believe Trevor actually likes this place.

We can come here every year! Brilliant!