Weekend Brings Cool Showers; Warmer, Unstable Weather Returns Next Week

Wednesday delivered the warmest early-April reading in eight decades. Kew Gardens in London recorded 26.6C on that day.

The warmth was largely confined to southeast England yesterday. Frittenden in Kent peaked at 23.4C while most regions turned cooler.

Current pattern and short-term outlook

A cold front moved eastwards, bringing westerly winds and near-normal or below-normal temperatures. That pattern will dominate today and through the weekend.

Rain will clear east tomorrow morning. Classic April showers will follow, with sunny spells between the showers.

Wind and coastal impacts

A deepening low to the west of Ireland will strengthen southerly winds this afternoon. Cloud and rain will spread into western areas, with heavy falls possible across Northern Ireland.

Gales are likely around western coasts and across parts of the Irish Sea. Temperatures will top out in the low teens for many locations.

Weekend outlook

The Atlantic low will push closer, making conditions windier and more unsettled. A band of rain will move into western coasts overnight.

That rain will clear eastwards across the mainland on Saturday morning. Sunny spells will follow, with blustery showers developing.

Showers will be most frequent in the west. Some will be locally heavy and thundery, with hail and wintry conditions possible over higher ground.

Parts of eastern England may stay drier and see the best sunshine. Coastal gales are expected in western areas on Saturday.

Saturday will feel cool, with highs around 10-13C. Sunday stays breezy, with further showers developing eastwards across central and eastern England.

Temperatures on Sunday will range from about 11C in Edinburgh to 14C in London. Overall, the weekend brings cool showers in many areas.

Next week: turning warmer but changeable

The overall pattern looks changeable next week, with a gradual warming trend across southern areas. Conditions will be less settled than a prolonged heat spell.

Monday to Wednesday

Winds should ease on Monday as isobars relax. Expect sunshine with scattered showers, some possibly heavy and slow-moving.

Tuesday may bring a brief ridge of high pressure. Many areas will be dry and bright, while rain spreads into the far west later.

Rain will spread northeast into northern and western Britain on Tuesday night and Wednesday. The northwest could see locally heavy rainfall.

Temperatures through the first half of the week will rise from roughly 11-15C on Monday to 13-17C by Wednesday in sunnier spots.

Late-week prospects

Thursday and Friday look drier, sunnier and warmer across southern England. A few showers cannot be ruled out.

The north will remain more changeable and windier. Atlantic fronts will bring cloud, lower temperatures and scattered rain.

By the end of the week, southern areas may approach 20C. Expect warmer, unstable conditions to return across parts of the country.

• Record early-April high: 26.6C at Kew Gardens, London (Wednesday).
• Southeast high: 23.4C at Frittenden, Kent (yesterday).
• Weekend highs: generally 10–14C; coastal gales likely in the west.
• Next week: changeable but warming, with late-week highs possibly near 20C in the south.

Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor developments as the cooler, showery weekend gives way to a warmer, unstable spell next week.