Ahh, Easter. The holiday weekend that can and does throw up a whole range of weather possibilities, ranging from snow to very warm conditions. Obviously this is impacted by the wide range of dates that Easter can fall upon as Easter Sunday generally falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox (the full moon is next Saturday). So Easter Sunday can fall as early as March 22nd or as late as April 25th.
With just over a month between dates in the season of Spring then it's no surprise that a variety of weather has been experienced over the years. So what does this year have in store? Well, the signs are looking promising if you like high pressure and generally settled conditions as the numerical model output is trending towards high pressure being the dominant synoptic feature. However, there are, as always, one or two complications, and high pressure may not necessarily result in wall to wall sunshine and very warm conditions.
It is all down to where that high centres itself and its orientation. Present indications favour pressure rising from the north which would encourage a chilly east or north-easterly wind to develop and this would potentially bring a lot of low cloud in off the North Sea. This would leave western and north-western districts with the best of the sunshine and the best of the temperatures. If the high is centred more over the UK or even just to the south and cuts off that feed off the North Sea then it would be warmer and sunnier for most. The other complication is how quickly any lingering fronts from earlier in the week clear as these may leave a legacy of more cloud and a few showers, especially towards the south.
The finer details to be confirmed then even though the trend is towards high pressure controlling matters. Keep an eye on our Events Discussion page where we will be updating the outlook for the Easter weekend regularly.
METEOROLOGIST: BARBER
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