The Met Office is predicting the first frost of autumn as a sudden ‘shift’ in weather is expected over the coming days. Following an unsettled week featuring heavy rain and thundery showers, temperatures are set to drop significantly. After a wet Thursday, Friday will bring more rain to central and southern parts of the UK, with some sunny spells in the north. The Met Office anticipates a cooler weekend ahead, with frost likely overnight on Friday as temperatures fall for the first time this autumn. Deputy chief meteorologist Brent Walker stated, “After the rain through much of this week, things will be turning decidedly cooler into the weekend, with frost likely for much of the UK overnight on Friday and a more autumnal feel to daytime temperatures.”
A north-westerly airflow will bring cooler air from the north, causing temperatures to drop over the weekend, possibly even reaching below freezing in some areas overnight. While isolated showers are possible, much of the weekend is expected to be drier, with sunny spells. However, there is a potential for wet and windy weather towards the end of Sunday and the beginning of next week, although specific details are still uncertain. The Met Office outlook for Wales this weekend indicates a windy Friday with rain clearing to sunshine and showers. The weekend overall is forecasted to be mainly fine but with chilly nights and temperatures below average, culminating in wet and windy conditions on Sunday night.
Recent heavy rain in parts of England brought over 100mm of rain in some areas, including Oxfordshire where South Newington experienced 111.4mm of rain, more than double the county’s long-term average for September. Looking ahead to late September and early October, the UK can expect unsettled weather with occasional spells of rain and strong winds, particularly towards the start of October. While some drier interludes may occur, patchy fog and frost could form at night. Overall, temperatures are likely to be near or slightly below normal for this time of year. The forecast further suggests that towards the latter half of October, there may be more settled weather with dry periods, along with increased fog and frost at night. It is important to note that these long-range forecasts are subject to change.