With grey skies and intermittent rain on the cards, there’s little here to raise the spirits. While the temperatures should remain relatively mild, the overall outlook is uninspiring.

The west looks set to get off more lightly on Friday, with heavy rain-bearing clouds concentrated in the east. But by nightfall the tables will have turned, and it will be the west’s turn for a good soaking. The eastern regions, meanwhile, can expect a brief brighter spell.

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By Saturday the clouds and rain will have returned to most of the country. Drizzle is likely to be the order of the day, albeit sweetened by a slight rise in temperature up to a maximum of six to thirteen degrees.

The showers should ease overnight on Saturday. Areas on the North Sea coast may remain wet, however, and the south-west could also see ongoing rain.

The north-west of the country can look forward to dry periods and some cloud clearance on Sunday, though the south-east is likely to see longer downpours.

The south-eastern extremities will have the worst of it, with driving rain and maybe even a sprinkling of snow – though it’s probably not time to dig out the toboggans just yet. A little nippier than Saturday, temperatures are unlikely to rise above eight to eleven degrees.

Sunday night will see yet more rain for the south-east, though the north should remain dryer with just a few isolated showers on the North Sea.

The outlook for Monday is more encouraging; most of the country can look forward to a clear day. The sun may even put in an occasional appearance. But by nightfall the temperature will have dropped down between seven and zero degrees, and the southern part of the country can expect to wake up to frost on Tuesday morning.

The Local/pmw