The Met Office is forecasting a significant change in the weather for next week as the cold Arctic air currently affecting the UK is expected to be replaced by warmer conditions. Despite a lacklustre summer, there is promising news for the start of autumn, with Wales set to experience fine and dry weather over the coming days and towards the end of September. Following the wet and cold weather experienced in July and August, recent days have seen a drop in temperatures, but conditions have remained predominantly dry.
According to BBC Weather, Wales can anticipate mostly fine weather in the week ahead. Cardiff, for example, is expected to have dry conditions with patches of sunshine on Saturday and Sunday, although Monday may see some drizzle and light winds. However, from Tuesday onwards, sunshine is forecasted, with temperatures potentially reaching 20°C on Saturday, which is notably high for late September. Similar conditions are expected across most parts of Wales, with coastal areas likely to be cooler but places like Cardigan in Ceredigion still seeing temperatures in the high teens towards the end of next week.
The Met Office provides a breakdown of the upcoming weather in Wales: Today, Welsh citizens can expect a dry day with a mix of clouds and sunny spells, bringing warmer temperatures and light winds. Tonight, most areas will remain dry, with some rain expected in Anglesey later on. Sunday may see cloudier conditions with rain in the north, particularly persistent in the northwest, while the south and east may experience brighter spells. Looking ahead to Monday to Wednesday, early cloud and drizzle in the south will give way to fine and bright weather, with periods of warm sunshine, though nights may be chilly with possible fog patches.
From Wednesday September 18 to Friday September 27, the UK is set to experience predominantly fine and dry conditions, with sunny spells across most regions during the day. Any rainfall is likely to be limited to the far north or northwest at the beginning of this period, with temperatures above average for many areas during the day but possibly cooler nights with fog patches. Southwesterly winds may be strong on occasion in the south. Towards late September, there is a possibility of more unsettled conditions developing.
According to Jason Kelly, a chief meteorologist at the Met Office, the cold Arctic air will be replaced by warmer westerlies over the weekend, leading to fine weather in the south. However, an area of low pressure to the northwest will bring rain and thicker cloud to Scotland and Northern Ireland, with windy conditions, especially in Northern Scotland on Saturday. Following this front on Sunday, high pressure will build, bringing fine and dry conditions to most of the UK for much of the next week, with any rain expected to be confined to the extreme northwest of Scotland on Monday and Tuesday. Overall, temperatures are set to rise, with many areas experiencing temperatures slightly above average by mid-week.
The forthcoming change in weather offers a welcome reprieve for residents in Wales, with the optimism of enjoying some late summer sunshine in the days ahead.