UK weather: Autumn sunshine set to return after Storm Agnes downpour

Dry spell comes after winds and rain from Storm Agnes knocked over trees and flooded streets

File image: Sunshine set to return after days of downpour (PA Archive)

Sunshine is set to return to the UK on Friday with balmy weather soon on the horizon following the two days of battering from Storm Agnes this week.

The Met Office forecasted early morning rain soon clearing on Friday, giving way to a bright and breezy day, with “plenty of sunny spells for most”.

A yellow weather warning from Thursday night continued to be in place till 2am Friday morning in southern Wales including Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.

Some showers are still expected in the north and west, often becoming more frequent across Scotland, where it will also be windy.

But Northern Ireland, England, and Wales can expect today to be largely dry with spells of sunshine and temperatures close to normal for this time of the year.

The dry spell comes after the first named storm of the season – Agnes – made way north east across the country bringing heavy winds of 80mph and heavy torrential rains that caused damage and flooding in several parts.

The heavy winds knocked trees over and blew roofs off buildings.

A fallen tree on Thornleigh Road in Swords, Dublin during Storm Agnes (PA)

Over 50mm of rain fell in some areas like Honister Pass in Cumbria and Mickledon and Seathwaite.

⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️

Heavy rain across southern parts of Wales

Thursday 2000 – Friday 0200

Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs

Stay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/UXywTRklQ1

— Met Office (@metoffice) September 28, 2023

But as the storm gradually made it’s way out of the UK, Britain is set to experience a mixed weekend of both sunny spells and patches of rain.

In its long range forecast, Met Office predicted a continuation of mixed weather but there’s a chance of balmy temperatures with highs of 22C in October.

Monday is expected to have patchy rain and a cloudy day to the south, while elsewhere it will generally be a day of sunny spells, with a risk of showers and stronger winds in the north.

As the period progresses, it is likely to be more unsettled with some rain and stronger winds to the north, although with drier conditions further south.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said the shifting jet stream and high pressure building across Europe “could make things pretty settled and perhaps even warmer here albeit always you have to remember across north and north west of the UK there is something changeable”.