0:00:01 > 0:00:04Well, Christmas is on the way, but frankly it seems more like Easter
0:00:04 > 0:00:08is on the way given the spring bulbs shooting up all over the countryside.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Nature is getting very confused indeed.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13This picture taken in Egham in Surrey,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16symptomatic of the very high temperatures,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18mild weather, we've had so far through December.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22It has been cold for a couple of days across some northern areas,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24but even here warm air is wafting northwards
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and it will get exceptionally mild later on this week at times.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30The all-time record breaker, the warmest December day
0:00:30 > 0:00:36on record - 18.3 Celsius in the Highlands way back in 1948.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38We probably won't break that record,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40but it won't be far off perhaps in some places.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Mind you, a chilly start in the Highlands first thing.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Temperatures getting above freezing, a thaw beginning to set in.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Certainly mild further south across the UK,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51but very misty and murky, some fog over the high-level routes,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54for example the M62, so watch out for that.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57The odd spot of rain around, but at this stage, a lot of dry weather.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59It won't stay that way because rain already
0:00:59 > 0:01:03knocking on the door of Cornwall at eight o'clock in the morning.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07And the rain will be spreading its way north-eastwards through the day.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10So, most of us across England and Wales eventually will
0:01:10 > 0:01:13expect to see three or four hours of steady rain.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15That is of some concern given the state of the catchment
0:01:15 > 0:01:17and the rain we have already had.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20There are weather warnings in force across parts of northern England.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Getting into Northern Ireland later on in the day.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24The far north of England,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26and Scotland dry and that thaw setting in.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Not as cold as it has been. Positively mild further south.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Wet weather continues to march northwards overnight
0:01:32 > 0:01:35followed by another batch of showery rain on a very gusty wind.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37So quite a lot going on as we go through the night.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39By the early hours, though,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41that rain and the worst of the wind will be easing away
0:01:41 > 0:01:44So, for Wednesday, just dribs and drabs left behind,
0:01:44 > 0:01:45a lot of cloud,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48limited brightness but mild nationwide.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Double figures, mid teens across the south.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Now, as we look from Wednesday into Thursday another set of
0:01:54 > 0:01:56weather fronts comes marching in,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58get hooked up across some north-western parts of the UK again.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01We're keeping a close eye on rainfall amounts here.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04We could see 30 or 40 millimetres in some prone areas.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06To the south and east of that, though,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09despite a gusty wind, it will turn exceptionally mild.
0:02:09 > 0:02:1316 possibly 17 degrees in some places
0:02:13 > 0:02:16before that front sweeps through introducing cooler air,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18not cold by any stretch of the imagination.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Temperatures just a degree or so down on Friday.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23A lot of dry weather before the next set of weather fronts comes in
0:02:23 > 0:02:25across the north and west.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28So that is the picture on Friday, wettest across the north
0:02:28 > 0:02:30and west, driest further south and east
0:02:30 > 0:02:34and again double figures in most places temperature-wise.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Onto Saturday, southerly winds introduce even milder air.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Again some places could be getting up into the mid
0:02:40 > 0:02:44high teens, but more wet weather across the north-west.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47So a lot of warmth around as we start next week.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50What we are going to get out in the Atlantic is a very tight
0:02:50 > 0:02:53gradient of contrast between warm air to the south
0:02:53 > 0:02:54and cold air to the north
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and when you get a tight temperature
0:02:57 > 0:03:00gradient like this, you get a strong jet stream.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Of course, the jet stream is the powerhouse of weather.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Along the jet stream, you get areas of low pressure zipping along.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10The stronger the jet stream, the more intense the areas of low pressure.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12And with this strong jet next week, we are
0:03:12 > 0:03:15going to see some deep areas of low pressure.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16Some very wet and windy weather
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and potentially stormy,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20and impacts are possible.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Obviously, we are keeping a very close eye on things.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Any colder interludes will be brief.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28I'll be back with an update tomorrow.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35The 2015 BBC Music Awards have lit up Birmingham.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39# Take me to church I'll worship like a dog... #
0:03:39 > 0:03:41One night of stunning performances
0:03:41 > 0:03:44celebrating 12 extraordinary months in music.