03/03/2018 Weather for the Week Ahead

Hello there. After the snow and ice of the last week,

I think you could be forgiven

for wanting something a little bit quieter

and a little bit milder through the days ahead.

Well, the weekend will go some distance towards giving us that

because it will turn slowly and I do mean slowly -

a little less cold, some wintry showers, too,

these showers coming as a mixture of rain, sleet and snow.

So during Saturday, then, a band of cloud and some very light

and patchy snow drifting northwards across northern England,

Northern Ireland, into southern Scotland,

still some snow showers across north-east Scotland.

More likely rain across southern areas

as this area of showery weather pushes its way in

because it will be that bit milder here -

seven degrees in Plymouth.

Still, though, you'll notice a rather chilly feel further north.

Now, as we move out of Saturday into Sunday,

low pressure is driving the weather.

The low sitting down here to the south-west -

that means we're going to bring in southerly winds

across the country so that will allow us

to tap into some slightly less cold air.

No more Beast from the East

will be bringing these winds up from the south.

Not especially warm, by any means

and we could well start Sunday

as well with some mist and fog patches,

but at least there'll be some spells of sunshine through the day.

This area of rain, sleet and hill snow

drifting across northern England into southern Scotland,

some showery rain into the south

and those temperatures recovering a little bit -

two degrees in Aberdeen,

four degrees there in Birmingham

and into Monday, that trend continues.

We push this area of rain, sleet and hill snow northwards

across Scotland, some sunny spells developing elsewhere.

Still the potential for some showery rain to push in

towards the south-west, but have a look at Monday's temperatures.

Double digits down towards the south, 10, 11 degrees

and even further north, some of that slightly less cold air

will begin to make its presence felt.

Now, out of Monday into Tuesday, low pressure still with us,

still to the south-west.

We still keep this broadly southerly flow across the country.

We'll see showery rain pushing its way northwards.

Still potentially some snow over high ground in the north,

still cold enough for that over the hills,

but at low levels, it will mostly be rain and sleet.

Some spells of sunshine in between and those temperatures

up to five degrees there in Aberdeen

and 11 in London.

Wednesday, similar on the face of it.

Still some areas of rain, sleet and hill snow drifting across the map.

Very difficult to predict at this range

exactly where the wet weather will be at any given time on Wednesday

and still some sunny breaks in the cloud at times.

Those temperatures again slightly less cold -

6 in Edinburgh,

7 there in Birmingham.

So, what's going on with next week's weather?

Well, it is, as so often, all to do with the jet stream,

which will basically be still a very long way south from the UK.

That leaves us in some relatively cold air,

but we're bringing the air in for more of a south

or south-westerly direction so it won't be as cold as it has been.

However, as we get towards the end of the week,

we push this area of low pressure eastwards.

That'll take some outbreaks of rain with it

and on the back edge of that low,

once the low ends up to the east of the British Isles,

well, that will allow the winds to switch round

to something more of a northerly.

So that is likely to bring something a little colder

in our direction by the time we get into next weekend,

but not as cold as it has been

and that's the big theme next week -

not as cold as it has been.

Some rain at times,

still some snow over the hills,

perhaps turning a little colder by the weekend,

but hopefully nothing as disruptive

as we've had to contend with through the last week.