The first weather maps for the start of April show a huge band of rain soaking almost the entire country as March’s wet weather looks set to continue.
Pushing up from the south, rain looks set to arrive in Land’s End by midday on April 1 and by 6pm that day a 277 mile wide stretch of the UK will see a drenching, according to weather maps generated by WX Charts using MetDesk data.
Parts of the south – including Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire – could see up to 7mm fall per hour by 6pm on April 1, with similar levels shown by the maps in Somerset and Wiltshire.
Areas of the Midlands and East Anglia could see up to 2.5mm per hour, though by midnight the rain appears to clear from much of the south, heading north over Manchester, the Pennines, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northumberland and County Durham by midnight on April 2.
Pockets of rain look set to remain over Pembrokeshire, Herefordshire, Powys, Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire, according to WX Charts.
The rain will be in much of Northern Ireland and Scotland, with the heaviest affecting parts of Angus and Aberdeenshire by 6am on April 2, according to WX Charts.
Much of Wales, north west England, the coast of north east England and parts of Hampshire, particularly around Southampton, will still see rain by that time too, though it will have cleared from much of the rest of England.
The Met Office’s long range weather forecast (March 31 to April 14) shows pressure is likely to be higher than average in the north of the UK, with low pressure more likely to the west or southwest.
It says: “This pattern tends to push the focus of unsettled weather further south than usual, with highest rainfall most likely to be in the south of the UK.
“Conversely, northern areas tend to be drier compared to normal. Temperatures will probably be near average or slightly above overall, with any cooler interludes most likely in the north.”
Met Office UK five-day weather forecast
Sunday, March 17 – Thursday, March 21
Headline: Rain clearing to sunshine and some showers today.
Today: Outbreaks of rain across much of England and Wales, and Shetland will gradually clear eastwards. Otherwise there will be sunny spells, but with showers, especially across central parts of England, Northern Ireland and other northwestern areas later. Breezy, but mild.
Tonight: Showers, some heavy, will generally ease to leave a dry night for many with clear spells. However, further rain will reach Northern Ireland this evening, then other western areas overnight.
Monday: Scattered light showers across central and southeastern areas will die out to leave a largely dry day on Monday with sunny spells. Turning wet and windy in the northwest later.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday: Showery rain with brisk winds will give way to brighter skies from the west on Tuesday. Most areas seeing further rain at times on Wednesday and Thursday. Rather windy later.
