02/03/2017 Weather for the Week Ahead

Hi there. At the end of the day, the atmosphere is all joined up.

If you were watching earlier on in the week,

I was indicating how developments in North America could influence

our weather come the end of the week,

and it certainly looks like panning out that way.

The weather has been erupting into life across parts of the US,

with violent storms across the Midwest and tornados,

as well, an early start to the severe-weather season across

this part of the world.

What do I mean? Well, scenes like this,

huge tornados rampaging across the plains states and into the Midwest,

and these were the sorts of effects which tornados like this had.

It puts our weather into perspective.

Very destructive storms across parts of Illinois, for example.

Those storms are injecting a lot of energy into the upper

atmosphere, as well,

having the effect of shunting the jet stream northwards,

and then there's a downstream dip in the jet stream which scoops up

an area of low pressure, producing a pretty wet end to the week for us.

So, what goes on in the States can influence what happens back here.

Nothing as extreme as that, but some fairly rough weather on the way,

in fact, overnight some strong winds and heavy rain and some snow

up over the high ground into parts of England and Wales.

Things subsiding as we head into the day. Still quite a blustery day,

and the worst of the rain and snow will clear away from central areas.

In actual fact, many of us will settle into a reasonable day,

with some sunshine, just a few showers left behind, particularly

across Western Scotland, where they will still be quite wintry.

Chilly here, but temperatures higher than they were on Wednesday -

across southern areas, up into double figures.

The trouble is it doesn't last. We look to the south,

and as that jet stream scoops up that area of low pressure

I pointed out, here comes the rain to end the week across England

and Wales initially - disappointing Friday here, some heavy rain.

For Northern Ireland and Scotland, we'll hold on to the dry and bright

weather for longest, but probably it won't last that much longer

before the rain eventually arrives.

Pretty chilly in most places, maybe double figures across the south.

But with that low-pressure system set to sit over the top of the

UK for much of this weekend, we can expect some wet weather at times.

If that wasn't enough, it'll probably be joined

by another low pressure coming in off the Atlantic to join in

the fun and to produce more rain.

So if you've got plans for this weekend,

expect some wet weather at times -

not all the time, but with a blustery wind,

it'll feel quite chilly in most places, as well.

So, that low pressure in control on Saturday.

Don't take the position of these blobs of blue too literally.

The detail may change.

But in some central areas, there could be some fairly

persistent wet weather and a cold easterly wind, too.

Temperatures always a little bit higher the further south you go.

By Sunday, maybe some respite before that next area of low

pressure joins in the fun, as I mentioned, and perhaps pushes

some rain into some south-western areas later on in the day.

Elsewhere, some drier spells, but with that blustery wind,

again it will feel quite chilly.

So, that's the set-up through this weekend,

with that low pressure positioned in the dip of the jet stream.

As I mentioned, the jet mainly to the south of us,

and on the northern side we remain in the rather chilly air

through the early part of next week.

But there are indications from some computer models that the jet stream

may shift northwards, and that would usher in warmer south-westerly winds

giving something a little bit more springlike, perhaps,

later on next week - a long way off, but perhaps

it's something to look forward to. We'll update you again tomorrow.