The Met Office forecasts a notable shift in the UK’s weather pattern starting Friday, bringing an end to weeks of dry conditions. A band of rain and stronger winds is set to affect much of the country over the Bank Holiday weekend.
After a prolonged period of high pressure and largely settled weather, the UK is set to face a new spell of unsettled conditions. According to the Met Office, the transition is expected to begin late Friday, coinciding with the Bank Holiday, and could persist into early June.
The change will be driven by low-pressure systems arriving from the Atlantic, bringing wetter and windier weather across the country. While the immediate impact may vary regionally, the forecast suggests the overall trend will move away from the dry and sunny conditions seen in early May.
Drier Days Giving Way to Showers and Cooler Nights
According to the Met Office, isolated showers are expected on Tuesday, 20 May, with some becoming heavy and possibly thundery in parts of Northern Ireland.
The situation becomes more pronounced on Wednesday, when showery rain is likely to extend across southern England. Northern and central areas are forecast to remain comparatively dry with some sunshine.
By Thursday and Friday, clearer skies are forecast to bring chilly mornings and the potential for light frost in some areas. These cooler nights mark a shift in air mass that is typical of a weakening high-pressure system. Despite the early brightness on these days, conditions are expected to deteriorate into the weekend.
The Met Office’s five-day outlook highlights a marked increase in cloud cover and rain moving in from the southwest. Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mark Sidaway noted, “The high pressure that has been around for the last few weeks will slowly lose its grip on the UK this week… bringing a change to more unsettled conditions.”
Bank Holiday Weekend to See Spells of Rain and Gusty Winds
The significant weather change is forecast to take shape over the Bank Holiday weekend, with rain and stronger winds expected to spread from the west on Saturday, 25 May. These conditions will gradually move across the UK, potentially affecting travel and outdoor plans.
While the weekend will not be uniformly wet, the outlook points to sunshine interspersed with showers, particularly on Sunday and Monday. The unsettled conditions are attributed to weather systems arriving from the Atlantic, which are forecast to dominate into the early part of June.
The Met Office emphasises that the upcoming period marks a clear departure from the fine and settled pattern seen earlier in the month. Long-range forecasts, also published on the Met Office website, suggest a continuation of mixed conditions, although specific details beyond the first week remain uncertain.
The outlook represents a typical late-spring transition, with increased variability and more frequent Atlantic influence expected in the short to medium term.
