After a warm, but also very wet spring, how does the summer look?
Spring 2024 has been very wet and it surprisingly looks like it will be the warmest on record (which date back to 1884), although for a lot of us it sure hasn't felt that way.
As May draws to a close, in meteorology June marks the start of summer, but will the change of season bring a change of flavour to the weather?
This weekend actually looks reasonably good for the bulk of the UK.
Something we've lacked for quite sometime has been the influence of high pressure. This tends to bring the fine weather with warm sunshine during the summer months.
Signs of change are there, as high pressure starts to move in for the weekend, set to bring something drier and brighter for all of us.
Saturday
A largely fine day for all once any mist and low cloud melts away through the morning. Some cloud may shroud the east coast at times with the odd shower or light splash of rain here, otherwise it should be dry.
A northerly brisk will remain across eastern coastal areas at first before easing. Warmer for all compared to Friday, although may be chilly when exposed to the breeze.
Sunday
Any mist or fog on Sunday morning should quickly lift and break to reveal another largely fine day with lighter winds for all across much of England and Wales. Temperatures will comfortably rise into the low twenties a few degrees above the June average.
Meanwhile in the northwest of Scotland and Northern Ireland, cloud will push in heralding the arrival of some patchy rain and drizzle, although turning heavy on western facing hills. Winds will freshen too and temperatures are likely to be pinned back. Staying driest for longest across eastern Scotland and north east England.
Into Next Week
The high pressure system stays close by, but it seems bands of cloud and rain will continue to move in from the north and west at times.
It won't be raining all the time, however, a northwesterly is a cool direction for us so temperatures will be around or below average when the rain arrives, although quickly recovering in any lengthy sunny periods, especially across southeast England.
How does the rest of the summer look?
Beyond next week it's difficult to pinpoint the exact outlook, although currently there looks to be some showery periods predominantly in the north and west, with something drier towards the south and east.
Something of interest this summer is that sea temperatures around the UK and across the western tropical Atlantic are above average., following an El Nino event during the winter months.
This means it is more likely, combined with climate change influence, that this summer will be warmer than average. But as we know, from previous experience of this Spring, warmer than average doesn't always mean it will be completely dry...
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