High pressure is building over the North Sea today and will bring a mainly fine and settled day of weather to many parts of Britain and Ireland with temperatures starting to rise again as we draw in increasingly warm air from mainland Europe.

This morning dawns fine across many regions with any early mist and low cloud soon burning away to leave much of the country fine and dry with plenty of sunshine and just some patchy cloud developing at times. The main exception comes across central and northern parts of Scotland where it is a cloudier start with some rain and drizzle. Even here, though, it will turn drier, brighter and warmer as we go through the day, but by this afternoon, cloudier skies and a few showers may arrive across westernmost parts of Ireland.

It will be a warmer day compared with yesterday with top temperatures ranging from the high teens or low twenties across the north and west to the mid-to-high twenties quite widely across England and Wales. Parts of western England are likely to be the hotspot where 29°C or 30°C is possible, however for some relief it will be a touch fresher around the coasts and also across eastern and southeastern England where a moderate breeze will be blowing in off the North Sea.

A largely fine and dry night follows across many regions, with just the risk of a shower in the far west. Some patchy mist and low cloud will form again in places by dawn but this should soon clear tomorrow to leave most areas fine, dry and sunny with temperatures climbing even higher. There will be a little more cloud and a few showers across western and northwestern areas which could spoil the partial solar eclipse for some during the evening. However, for most parts of Britain and Ireland, viewing conditions are currently expected to be excellent.

METEOROLOGIST : BARBER

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