It’s the forecast that you’ve all been waiting for (well, most of you) – plenty of sunshine if still on the chilly side, at least for the first few days, and especially overnight. Spring starts tomorrow and I’ve got a reasonably spring-like forecast for you.

Thanks to Tracy for the photograph.

We start the forecast period with high pressure building from the south-west – low pressure towards Spain/Portugal and the jetstream going over the top of the UK, though still quite strong.

Any early mist/fog/low cloud will quickly lift to leave good spells of sunshine. Some fair-weather cloud will bubble up. Still pretty chilly though, 9’C at best. Clear spells for much of the night but mist/fog will tend to form towards dawn, though not necessarily everywhere. Frosty, down to around -2’C.

Saturday starts with mist/fog/low cloud for most, though there is a chance of being sunny from the off. It will gradually break up, with good spells of sunshine for all, and some fair-weather cloud bubbling up. The sun a bit hazier later in the day. 9’C, maybe 10’C, so still on the chilly side. A lot of high cloud for the first half of the night though this will sink south to leave clear skies later, frosty and down to around -1’C or so. A chance of some mist/fog patches by dawn.

Sunday may start with some mist/fog patches (less likely than previous two mornings) but they will lift to leave long spells of sunshine, with a bit of fair-weather cloud possible. Temperatures still on the chilly side, around 9’C. Clear skies overnight and frosty, down to around -2’C. Mist/fog again possible by dawn.

Monday sees early mist/fog/low cloud but again this lifts to good spells of sunshine, though likely with more high cloud than of late, as a very weak weather front moves down from the north-west. Around 9’C, maybe 10’C. Fairly clear skies overnight though some high cloud at times, and again some mist/fog patches forming by dawn. Down to around -2’C and frosty.

By Tuesday we start to pull in a more south-westerly flow, which means milder.

Again some early mist/fog/low cloud patches in places to clear, then good sunny spells, though probably a bit hazier especially in the afternoon. Around 12’C. A frost less likely overnight, still a chance of some mist/fog patches forming, and down to around 1’C.

Wednesday again may have some mist/fog patches to clear but they will lift into long spells of sunshine. Around 13’C, maybe 14’C at a push so definitely feeling quite spring-like. Another fairly cold night, down to around 0’C – frost possible, as will be mist/fog patches by dawn.

Thursday again may see mist/fog/low cloud at first (not everywhere, as per every morning in this forecast), which should be followed by long spells of sunshine. The breeze more southerly and temperatures ticking up further – heck it could be the first “quite warm” day, 15’C, maybe 16’C. 16’C counts as “quite warm” in my book in March…not so come May.

There is a small chance that we cannot quite squeeze out that last pleasant day on Thursday, and low pressure arrives – but 90% likely we will.

This does mean that Friday and into next weekend probably sees low pressure arriving, with rain/showers at times, and temperatures back down a bit – towards 10’C, or so.

I shall try to do the spring forecast this weekend, depending on what time I can find. Have a pleasant weekend and enjoy the sunshine!