Wednesday
High pressure continues to influence the south, with bright skies and sunshine for much of central and south-eastern England. High cloud thickens from the west through the day, becoming widely overcast north and west from the Midlands. Dry for most of England and Wales, but expect low cloud and drizzle for many western facing coasts and hills, persistent for Cumbria and south-west Scotland. Light drizzle for Ireland turning heavier later in the west. A freshening south-westerly breeze strengthens locally to gale force for exposed northern and western areas of Britain and Ireland. Feeling quite mild at 9 to 12C for most, highest temperatures likely to the east of the Pennines and also north-east Scotland.
Wednesday night
Persistent rain becomes more extensive across Ireland and western Scotland during the evening, slowly advancing south-eastwards into Wales and north-west England. A brisk south-westerly breeze for most. Cloud and patchy drizzle pushes east across the Midlands and south-east through the night, starting grey and damp on Thursday. Temperatures remaining fairly mild, lows 4 to 7C, probably lowest in the east early in the night where skies initially remain clear.
Thursday
A cold front moving slowly south-east will produce rain and drizzle across central and southern areas, often light and patchy, but may well persist into the afternoon in the south-east. Brighter skies spread from the north-west, with a little sunshine breaking through for Wales and northern England. Showers will affect western regions of Scotland and Ireland, some heavy with sleet or hail mixed in. Dry with sunny spells for eastern Scotland and north-east England. Gusty south-westerly winds in the south-east, easing slowly from the west. Blustery in the north, squally around showers. Temperatures 7 to 9C in the south, nearer 5 or 6C in the north.
Friday
A tangle of fronts across the south and west brings disorganised areas of rain to Britain and Ireland during Friday, some there remains some uncertainty about exact details. However, this may merge into several hours of rain for southern England, also western regions. Rain also threatens to spread across the Midlands. North-eastern areas faring better overall. Showers for Northern Ireland and western Scotland. Winds strengthening, perhaps to gale force later in the day. Highs 6 to 10C, feeling cool where rain persists.