Met Office Chief Meteorologist Neil Armstrong said: “An energetic, mobile weather pattern is driving successive low-pressure systems across the Atlantic over the coming days. With high pressure to the east of the UK these systems stall and weaken as they reach us and bring spells of rain and wind together with milder air."

On Friday a weather front moves in from the west. This is a slow-moving feature bringing cloudy skies and blustery showers, which turn to more persistent rain as the front pivots and moves towards the northwest.

We will see some drier, brighter weather for a time on Saturday, temperatures around average for the time of year at 10C to 12C, before another low-pressure system brings wind and ran overnight.

There will be gales on the west coast for Sunday together with rain, which could be heavy, particularly in the west and southwest at times. Temperatures stay around average for the time of year.

This low-pressure system eventually clears to the north on Monday. Beyond this, there are indications that the weather may become more settled as we head into the middle of next week. Some rain is still likely, especially in the northwest on Tuesday night and Wednesday, but many places will see longer periods of dry and bright weather developing. Temperatures will remain close to normal for mid-March, with overnight frosts still possible in places, though snow looks unlikely. This is still a long way off in forecast terms, so keep an eye on the weather forecast for your area.

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For more information on how to prepare for severe weather, please visit our WeatherReady advice.