UK weather: Drop in temperature before warm and sunny conditions but Met Office warns it won't last

While Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be fine and dry, a shift to unsettled conditions is on the horizon by Friday and into the weekend.

After a sunny and warm day on Tuesday, temperatures will drop overnight, with the Met Office warning of widespread frost and possible mist and freezing fog in the north and east.

"Dry with mostly clear skies, and winds easing for many overnight. Colder than previous nights with a widespread frost, and some patchy mist and fog or freezing fog in the north and east," the Met Office said.

On Wednesday and Thursday, conditions will remain pleasant, with plenty of sunshine. However, some cloud cover across the south may cause the sunshine to be hazy at times. Temperatures will be much warmer than Tuesday, especially in East Anglia.

"Another fine and warm day on Thursday," the Met Office said.

By Friday, the weather will turn more unsettled, with rain moving in from the south and spreading across the country by Saturday. "Turning unsettled from the south on Friday, with outbreaks of rain for many by Saturday. Warm initially, but temperatures returning to near average," the forecast added.

The long-range forecast from March 23 to April 1 suggests the sunny trend will not persist. The Met Office predicts a return to unsettled conditions, with wetter weather and possibly heavy rain. Strong winds may also accompany the change in conditions.

"At first, it is likely to be more unsettled than it has been of late. Wetter weather will probably continue in many areas, at least for a time, with some heavy rain possible, and this could be accompanied by strong winds at times," the Met Office said.

There could be a brief break from the wet conditions around midweek, but the general pattern suggests a mix of rain, fluctuating temperatures, and occasional sunshine for the rest of March.

"Temperatures are likely to be widely above average at the start of this period, and it will feel warm in any sunshine, before probably falling back and then fluctuating around average for the remainder of the month," the forecasters said.

As April approaches, the unsettled conditions are expected to persist, though the Met Office hinted at the potential for surprises in the early days of the new month.