A weak ridge of high pressure is bringing a bright but chilly start to Wednesday for many regions but it is already coming under attack from the next frontal system moving in off the Atlantic and much of the rest of the week is looking unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain as the Atlantic steps up a gear or two.

It is a frosty morning out there for many parts of Scotland, England and Wales with temperatures in rural northern spots having dropped as low as -8°C but there will be some sunshine around this morning once any mist and fog patches have cleared. However, it's milder across much of Ireland and Northern Ireland where freshening winds and increasing cloud have moved in already along with some rain and drizzle. This rain and drizzle will continue to edge eastwards today but it will be a very slow process, only really reaching western parts of the UK mainland this afternoon, by which time the rain will become heavier and more persistent across much of Ireland. This leave many central and eastern regions with a dry and fine day but it will be rather chilly with top temperatures of 2°C to 5°C, but out the west and southwest milder air is starting to push in with maximums here of 10°C to 12°C despite the rain and blustery winds.

Northern and eastern regions soon turn frosty under clear skies this evening but as we go through the night temperatures will start to rise from the west as that band of cloud and rain slowly heads east, the rain preceded by snow across higher parts of northern Britain and perhaps to lower levels for a time. Tomorrow sees another band of wind and rain pushing in from the southwest, the rain heavy and persistent in many areas, but temperatures will continue their slow recovery.

METEOROLOGIST : BARBER

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