For several weeks now, the weather has been stuck in a blocked pattern, external, with high pressure to the east diverting a series of rain-bearing weather fronts across the UK.
For the weather to dry up, this pattern needs to change and a short-lived reprieve may be on the way.
While spells of rain will continue through the next few days, it looks like higher pressure will start to build across the UK later in the week.
This is expected to turn things drier and brighter later on Thursday and into Friday. However, as colder and clearer conditions develop, some snowfall is likely at times too.
The areas most likely to see any snowfall this week are northern and eastern Scotland, the Pennines, the Peak District and the hills of Wales. There is however a chance of some sleet or snow to lower levels for a time as clearing rain meets colder air.
However, it might be worth keeping the wet weather gear handy. Early indications are that milder westerly winds from the Atlantic will return during the third week of the month – delivering more wind and rain.
