Although many parts of the country will end the week on a largely fine note, there is something of a northwest/southeast split in the weather today. An Atlantic frontal system is pushing into the northwest bringing thickening cloud and outbreaks of rain and drizzle with it, and this is likely to set the pattern for much of the upcoming weekend too.

Friday has dawned dry and bright across many areas with plenty of early sunshine. However, there is rather more cloud across northern and western Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of the Republic of Ireland with a few showers already breaking out. These northwestern areas will remain mostly cloudy today with more persistent rain developing across parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland before extending into central and southwestern Scotland later on. Elsewhere, it will be mainly dry and bright with sunny spells, and the best of the sunshine is expected across much of England and Wales. Top temperatures will generally reach the high teens or low twenties across the north and west, rising to a much warmer 24°C to 26°C in southeastern England.

Outbreaks of rain and drizzle will continue to affect parts of Ireland, Northern Ireland, central and southern Scotland, and later northern England this evening and tonight. Further north and south it will remain mostly dry, although some low cloud and patchy drizzle will develop across western areas. The same broad weather pattern will continue into the weekend with outbreaks of rain and drizzle affecting northern regions at times, especially across western Scotland where it is set to be a rather wet weekend. However, the further south and east you are, the brighter and warmer it will be.

METEOROLOGIST: BARBER

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