UK to finally see some sunshine – but only after yet another drenching

Things might become more 'unsettled' by Christmas, though.

Is water wet? Is the Pope Catholic? Is it always raining in Britain?

The answer to the above is all, of course, yes. Forecasters say today will see even more rain dumped onto the UK, as has been the case for most of this week.

A band of rain is currently heading southeastwards across the UK, having drenched most of Scotland in the early hours.

If you’re reading this from Wales or parts of the South West, the Midlands or the North East, chances are if you look out the window you’ll see rain.

East Anglia and southeast England will stay dry and settled this chilly morning, with frost likely.

But there is a bright side to this all – literally.

The rain will gradually come lighter and patchier over the next few hours, the Met Office says, before breaking up as it reaches the south.

Brighter conditions will follow for most of the day, with a few showers for northwest Scotland and the ‘odd light shower’ in northwest Northern Ireland.

Temperatures will mostly be a bit above average.

The Met Office says that temperatures are overall steadying, with the weather calming down after flood alerts earlier this week and bitter cold the week before.

You can thank the Polar Jet Stream, otherwise just called the jet stream, for this.

The weather agency says that the jet stream, a band of winds that blows from west to east around the planet, is shifting north.

This is allowing high pressure to build, which in the winter can bring cold, dry days that aren’t that windy.

Met Office chief forecaster, Paul Gundersen, said: ‘The high pressure will draw up warmer air from the southwest and as we go into the coming weekend, we will see milder conditions by both day and by night for all.’

Downsloping winds, called foehn winds, that are dry but also very warm ‘could result in particularly mild conditions for areas such as east Scotland,’ Gunderson said.

‘It looks like this pattern will last into the first half of next week meaning the mild conditions will continue with some outbreaks of rain likely at times, mostly across the north and the northwest.

‘Later next week and the days running up to Christmas there are some suggestions that the jet stream will drift further south, allowing conditions to turn more widely unsettled.

‘There is also a chance of winds switching to more of a northwesterly direction, allowing conditions to become a little colder, with a risk of some wintry showers developing in the north.

‘At this stage, there is very little sign of any widespread or severe cold and wintry weather.’

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