Click here for details of the weather over the next few days.

Please note that forecasting beyond five days is notoriously difficult, and small errors at short-range can lead to large deviations further in time. Our longer-range forecasts are based on the most accurate weather data available at the time, but alterations may be required as the period progresses. Please check back regularly for the most up-to-date forecast run.

Wednesday 04/05/05 to Thursday 05/05/05
On Wednesday, a large area of high pressure will be anchored over the Atlantic, with low pressure over Scandinavia. Whilst it will still be pleasant, it won't be as warm as during the first part of the week, as winds come in from a more northerly direction. Despite high pressure being close by, there will be a lot of cloud around. Showers will affect much of England and Wales in the afternoon, most frequent in the east. At the same time, increasing cloud will bring rain and drizzle to northern and western Scotland, and later Northern Ireland. Elsewhere, it should be dry with some sunshine. Cool north to north-westerly winds will continue during Thursday, bringing plenty of low cloud across northern and western areas. Across western Scotland and Northern Ireland, there will be patchy rain throughout the day, perhaps turning heavy later. Further south in Ireland, it should be dry with some sunshine. The same is true for remaining areas of England and Wales, although with a lot of cloud at times, the odd shower cannot be ruled out. Warm in the sunshine, but cool in the wind.

Friday 06/05/05 to Saturday 07/05/05
Southern parts of England and Wales should have a dry start to Friday, with spells of sunshine. However, across Scotland and northern England, cloud and outbreaks of showery rain will spread steadily southwards during the day, heavy across northern parts. This will move south to the rest of England and Wales through the afternoon, although with little more than drizzle falling by the time it reaches the south coast. The same band of rain will spread south across Northern Ireland during the morning, petering out as it moves through the Irish Republic in the afternoon. We're expecting conditions to settle down across much of the UK and Ireland by Saturday, with high pressure gradually nudging in from the west. Most of Ireland will be dry and sunny, although Northern Ireland will have more cloud around. Wales and western England will also be fine, but eastern England will be mostly cloudy with a cool northerly wind. Any rainclouds will be confined to northern Scotland, perhaps with heavier rain returning here by evening.

Sunday 08/05/05 to Monday 09/05/05
Sunday will be fine across much of the country, with patchy cloud and long spells of sunshine. It will also feel pleasantly warm during the afternoon, with generally light winds. The exception will be Scotland once again, in particular northern Scotland, where cloud and occasional rain will continue throughout the day. By Monday, our area of high pressure won't have moved very far, so far most places it will be a repeat of the fine conditions of Sunday. Even Scotland will become drier and brighter, with the best of the sunshine in southern and eastern areas. Ireland and Northern Ireland will start sunny, but increasing cloud could threaten rain in western areas by the end of the afternoon. Next week is currently looking rather unsettled with rain in western areas, whilst the south and east remain fine and warm. As ever, please check back for further forecast updates.