The weather will be mixed in the week ahead. A brief heat spike on Monday could deliver the hottest day of the summer so far but a gradual cool down will take place soon afterwards with the weather slowly turning more unsettled as the week progresses.
Saturday has been rather cloudy with mostly light rain and drizzle for parts of England and Wales but Scotland and Northern Ireland have been brighter, albeit with some rather hefty showers in the far north.
This afternoon should see brighter skies edging down from the north though we probably keep quite a lot of cloud going in the south and south east. Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England should have quite a lot of sunny weather but showers will keep going in the far north. Temperatures will be rather cool today, ranging from 15C to 22C.
Overnight, showers keep going across northern Scotland while the rest of the country has a dry night with clear spells and variable cloud. Temperatures will be very warm in the far south at 17C to 20C but generally it will be a cooler and fresher night for most of us with temperatures of 7C to 15C.
High pressure builds through the country on Sunday bringing a universally dry day with plenty of sunny spells. Temperatures range from 18C to 27C. Feeling very warm in the strong August sunshine.
High pressure edges away to the east with low pressure out to the west on Monday. We'll draw up a southerly wind which will bring a heat spike into southern England.
Scotland will start the day with a band of heavy rain and thunderstorms. This will push eastwards and clear away during the afternoon. Northern Ireland, England and Wales should have a mainly dry day with plenty of sunshine, especially in the south and east. It will be a very hot day in the east and south with temperatures of 30C to 34C (86F to 93F) but the north and west will be cooler at 14C to 21C.
Lower pressure starts edging in from the west on Tuesday. A band of cloud rain across Scotland and Northern Ireland will edge southeastwards into northern England and Wales on Tuesday afternoon with brighter skies and a few showers following to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Much of the south and south east will stay dry with sunny spells. Temperatures still reaching a hot 28C to 30C in the far southeastern corner but otherwise temperatures will be close to average at 15C to 23C.
A new area of low pressure starts moving in from the Atlantic on Wednesday.
An area of quite heavy and persistent rain pushes eastwards into Scotland and Northern Ireland while England and Wales stay dry with sunny spells and variable cloud. Temperatures range from 13C to 27C north west to south east.
Low pressure is in control of the situation for Thursday and Friday with both days at risk of heavy showers or longer spells of rain, especially in the north and west while the south and east gets the driest of the weather. Temperatures will be cooling down to be close to average at 14C to 23C.
Next weekend could bring drier weather back to the south while northern regions remain showery. Temperatures may start to become warmer once again in the south.
Summary: Becoming briefly very hot in the south early next week followed by a gradual cool down and showers there-after. Northern regions remain generally cool and unsettled.
Rural West Northants 120m asl
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