Whisper it softly, but Spring is getting closer. Temperatures in many parts of the UK are set to overshadow some of Europe's more traditional hot spots with several days of very mild conditions expected.
While the mercury nudges double figures and even the low teens C in places this weekend, the Greek capital Athens will shiver with values in the low single figures following rare snowstorms earlier this year, with the Spanish city of Madrid also very chilly.
While it may seem a little grey and wet in the UK, with occasional blustery showers and quite choppy winds, the forecast is improving with temperatures in the middle of next week expected to hit 17C in the south of England.
After several cold nights, the weather has become increasingly unsettled this week as a low pressure front threatens from the Atlantic and is competing with high pressure over the continent. There will also be a east-west divide, with the higher temperatures on the east coast. Later on there will be a north-south split with more unsettled conditions towards the north-west with very mild days possible further south.
Forecaster Brian Gaze, of The Weather Outlook, said: "High pressure is set to be replaced by an Atlantic-based pattern. That means all of the UK can expect showers or longer spells of rain, but the wettest conditions will tend to be in the north west. Temperatures will often be above the seasonal average.
"However, as well as higher temperatures it also looks like turning wetter. But as we are now well into March there is the potential for warmish days. Certainly there is no sign in the computer model output of anything very cold."
The Met Office forecast from March 14-23 also states that temperatures will start to climb. It states: "Through the start of this period a southerly flow will likely result in a mixture of mostly dry and cloudier conditions, with unsettled conditions and showers in places.
"The most persistent rain is expected across the south initially then across the northwest later, before transferring further to the southeast. Temperatures are expected to be near average to mild, slightly below average in the east at times.
"Through the rest of the period a northwest-southeast split is expected with lower pressure, rain and strong winds across the north. Whilst the south will see the best of any settled conditions and the best of the sunshine. Strongest winds and heaviest rain will most likely be in northwest. Temperatures are expected to be mild or locally very mild.
"Patchy light rain across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and western England will slowly clear northeastwards to allow brighter skies. Very mild across eastern and southeast England where some sunny spells are possible. Patchy rain reaches southern England later."
Met Office five-day forecast
Tonight
Cloud and patchy light rain moving northwards across some parts, though also some dry spells. Breezy and mild. Heavy rain reaching the far southwest later.
Friday
Patchy rain clearing northern and eastern parts to leave a brighter spell. Rain in the southwest, heavy at times, moving northeastwards across most parts. Windy, with coastal gales.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday
An unsettled weekend with showers or longer spells of rain, wettest in the west. Windy for a time with coastal gales in the west. Drier for most on Monday.
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