Britons can expect another day of sunshine and showers following a relatively dry Thursday but a wet weekend is ahead, forecasters say.
The Met Office warned of scattered and occasionally heavy showers on Friday, which will be persistent in northeast Scotland in the morning, and could bring gusty winds.
Some areas could also be hit with thunder, it said, but added temperatures should be near average for the time of year.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland will likely be met with dense cloud and some heavy rain and wind.
To welcome in July, an unsettled weekend is in store with more showers threatening to dampen summer plans.
Alex Deakin, a meteorologist for the Met Office, said: “The weather remains fairly mixed this weekend. We’ll all see a bit of blue sky, but most of us will also see some rainfall.
“An area of low pressure moving in will bring a band of rain across the country during Saturday, not reaching East Anglia and the southeast until later in the day.
Forecasters remain unsure as to the exact timings and locations of the rain, but Mr Deakin said it was expected to push its way over the midlands and northeast, before clearing from the southwest.
While Wales and northwest England will likely see dryer weather on Saturday, Scotland and Northern Ireland can expect “plenty more showers coming on”, he said.
While most of the country is in line for below average temperatures – which Mr Deakin said would reach the high teens “at best” – East Anglia and the southeast may see temperatures in the low 20Cs on Saturday and Sunday.
In full British summmertime fashion, Sunday will bring sunshine and showers, with rainfall expected across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, and across the eastern half of the country in the afternoon.
There should be some respite, however, with southwest England and Wales remaining mostly dry.
Mr Deakin said: “There will be a bit of a breeze, so the showers will tend to move through. But that breeze coming in from the northwest isn’t going to bring any high temperatures. We’re, again, only looking at mid to high teens for many,”
Friday:
A day of sunshine and showers, although some more persistent rain in northeast Scotland in the morning. Cloudier with some heavy rain and gusty winds for Northern Ireland later.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
An unsettled often cloudy weekend with showers, heavy at times. Best of any fine weather in the south. Damp in Northern Ireland and Scotland on Monday, brighter for England and Wales.
