UK Weather Met Office 5-day forecast: Temperatures may rise this weekend but will sunshine return?

The gloomy and rainy weather may stick around for another week or so due to low pressure dominating the UK, said the Met Office. The forecasters said the weather will remain unsettled with blustery winds and thundery downpours in some parts of the country, with temperatures slightly rising this weekend.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "In the UK, due to low pressure to the east of us, eastern areas will see frequent showers and blustery winds. Further west, the cold weather continues as we go through Wednesday and Thursday, so it will feel a bit cool during the day and quite chilly overnight. Thursday morning will be the coldest period of the week, with a touch of frost in sheltered rural spots.

Showers are expected to continue as we go through Thursday into Friday, he said, due to “low-pressure system coming from Greenland that hasn't formed yet”, which increases the uncertainty. He added: “This low-pressure area is expected to develop as we move from Wednesday into Thursday and into Friday. Friday will see a more unsettled spell as we head into the weekend, with a few showers around on Saturday and more unsettled weather on Sunday."

Mr Burkill said the weather will be much 'wilder' and 'warmer' as we head into the weekend, with temperatures rising as high as 16°C. He continued: “However, with the thundery rain around, it won’t feel particularly pleasant, but temperatures are going to rise as we go through this week.

"In south London, temperatures will be low, picking up a little bit by Thursday. I think the coldest air will be with us Wednesday night into Thursday. By the time we get to Thursday itself, temperatures will start to creep up. By the weekend, it's going to be in the mid to high teens across many places, around 16°C."

According to the UK long range weather forecast from April 28 to May 7, low pressure patterns will continue to dominate with wet weather perhaps more likely to develop in parts of the south and east, though all parts are may see some rain at times.

It added: “Winds further into the period mostly light to moderate. Temperatures will likely trend near or slightly above average, though some cooler interludes remain possible. Into early May, something of a north-south split looks possible, with relatively drier conditions further to the north and the greatest chance of rain further to the south.”.

Met Office 5-day forecast

Thursday (April 23): Rain in the southeast will fade away, leaving a dry night with clear spells for many. Cold for most with a patchy frost in rural spots. A few isolated showers will continue to affect North Seas coasts.

Wednesday (April 24): Largely dry with a few showers in eastern counties. Partly cloudy in the east with some bright spells, but good spells of sunshine elsewhere. Windy around eastern coasts. Feeling chilly.

Outlook for Thursday (April 25) to Saturday (April 27): Gradually becoming more unsettled towards the weekend with showers or longer spells of rain at times. Often cloudy and feeling chilly in brisk winds. Temperatures recovering a little on Saturday