Fog and sunshine in the weekend forecast as high pressure clings on

· BBC Weather
BBC Weather Watchers / binny79

ByBen Rich
Lead Weather Presenter
Published

Dry weather will hold on across most parts of the UK this weekend.

Sunny spells will continue in many areas but mist and fog patches will mean murky mornings for some.

A band of cloud that will sit across north-west Scotland on Saturday will move southwards to affect other areas on Sunday, perhaps delivering a few spots of rain.

Friday brought a maximum temperature of 20C (68F) at Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire - Scotland's warmest day of the year so far - but temperatures will drop a little over the weekend.

Some bigger changes will take place next week as high pressure loosens its grip.

Murky mornings

On both Saturday and Sunday mornings, some of us will be greeted by mist and fog.

The fog will be patchy so some places will be shrouded while others will remain clear - but where it does occur it could be rather dense, reducing visibility on the roads.

Fog forms when the air temperature drops overnight. The colder the air gets the less water vapour it is able to contain.

So if the air is moist, and the temperature drops low enough, the air can be left with more moisture than it is able to hold - with the excess condensing into liquid water droplets, which we see as fog.

At this time of year, just after the spring equinox, with more strength in the sunshine and the days getting longer, fog tends not to stick around for too long.

So by late morning most of the murk should have lifted, allowing for something brighter.

It may be a bit more of a struggle for some Irish Sea coasts where fog could linger into Saturday afternoon.

Spells of spring sunshine

Most places will see sunny periods on Saturday - with the best of the blue skies likely to be found across England and Wales.

Northern Ireland, southern and central parts of Scotland should also have some decent spells of sunshine.

After a week that brought the UK its warmest weather of the year so far - with all four nations exceeding their previous highs - things will be a little less warm for many.

Temperatures in most areas will reach highs of 11-16C (52-61F) but it may feel quite chilly near some eastern coasts.

In northern Scotland things will be a little different as a weak weather front brings more cloud and a few spots of rain, accompanied by a moderate breeze.

Cloudier and slightly cooler conditions will sink southwards over the weekend

Saturday night will be another chilly one with a touch of frost in places - just as we have seen over recent nights.

But on Sunday there will again be some sunny spells, once morning mist and fog has cleared.

However, cloud and patchy rain will move a little further southwards across Scotland and Northern Ireland, getting into England and Wales during the afternoon.

Turning chilly next week

As we move beyond the weekend, the weather looks set to give us a reminder that we are still in early spring - with high pressure expected to decline and chilly conditions due to make a return.

After a largely dry Monday, a band of rain is likely to sweep southeastwards during Tuesday.

Behind it, the winds will turn northerly bringing a surge of cold air, with temperatures expected to fall below the seasonal average in many locations.

While there will be some sunshine there will also be showers - which could even turn wintry over hills in the north of the UK.

You can always keep up to date with the changing spring weather prospects where you are by having a look at the BBC Weather website and app.

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