Thursday
A cold, frosty start for much of England & Wales, but leading to a dry and bright day - sunshine turning hazy from the north-west as high cloud thickens, and later patchy rain or drizzle develops on coasts and hills in the west. Fronts across Scotland & Northern Ireland bring cloud and outbreaks of rain, most persistent over the West Highlands. Light winds in the south; a freshening south-westerly in the north. Cool at 9 to 12C.
Thursday night
Cloudy for most places into the evening and night as fronts extend south across the country. Patchy rain or showers mostly affecting western regions, whilst central and eastern parts should see little or no rain. Winds fairly light, but a fresh south-westerly breeze around exposed coasts. Milder than previous nights in the south, temperatures 5 to 8C, but may dip close to zero where skies clear in northern areas.
Friday
Low pressure broadly influences the British Isles. A weakening cold front affects south-east England, producing outbreaks of rain, some heavy bursts, which may persist for a few hours. Elsewhere, expect a mix of sunshine and showers, these most frequent toward the north & west, and may cluster together into locally prolonged rain. Some eastern counties may escape mainly dry. Variable winds, blustery at times. Highs 9 to 12C.
Saturday
Low pressure centred over the North Sea produces a cold northerly wind across the country. Clusters of showers will spread from the north, most frequent around coasts in the east, also northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, and a few bands around the Irish Sea - hail, or snow over hills, may fall to increasingly low levels. Inland regions will see plenty of sunshine. Feeling chilly, top temperatures just 7 to 10C.