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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Paul Britton

Weather forecast for Greater Manchester this week as sunshine, showers and thunder all predicted

The Met Office has forecast a March mixture of sunshine and showers - some heavy - together with thunder on Friday across Greater Manchester this week.

But as spring slowly starts to burst into life, temperatures should be milder after the recent chilly conditions, with predicted average highs across the city region of around 12C.

Overcast conditions on Monday are expected to change to heavy rainfall by early evening, downpours which are likely to continue overnight. Temperatures reaching as high as 14C are forecast from around 4pm.

The Met Office said: "A cloudy day with rain easing for a time during the morning, before further rain arrives from the southwest later, this often heavy and persistent into the evening. Windy, particularly at the coast, but mild. Maximum temperature 14C."

Tuesday paints a similar picture. According to the Met Office, a cloudy start will greet the day before heavy rain again sweeps in by late morning. Sunshine is expected by noon and the evening should be drier with temperatures reaching around 13C.

"A day of sunny spells and scattered showers, before cloud thickens during the afternoon and rain arrives from the west later," said the Met Office. "Breezy, particularly at exposed coasts and over high ground. Maximum temperature 14C."

Spring daffodils in Salford (Manchester Evening News)

A rainy start to Wednesday is forecast to make way for the brightest day of the week. The chances of rain on Wednesday are far less than the rest of the week, with the morning's heavy showers forecast to change to sunny skies by lunchtime.

A similar forecast is in place for Thursday, with highs of 12C predicted and light showers in the morning turning to sunny intervals by late morning, but with a risk of showers from later afternoon.

The Met Office forecast a rainy day on Friday, with showers predicted for most of the day although conditions should brighten and dry up by the evening. Friday also should feel a touch colder, with highs predicted of around 11C.

The Met Office said: "Any early rain clearing to leave sunshine and blustery showers on Wednesday. Showers continue on Thursday and Friday, turning heavy and thundery at times. Often windy, and temperatures near average."

Saturday is no different, with sporadic showers forecast to hit Greater Manchester on and off throughout the day, together with some sunshine.

Sunday, meanwhile, is expected to be the driest day of the week, with heavy predicted downpours from around 7am making way for dry, overcast conditions from mid-morning onwards.

A Met Office spokesman told the M.E.N.: "The outlook for the area this week is mainly unsettled with wind and rain through the week and remaining mild, with 14C likely most days through to Saturday. As we get to Sunday an area of low pressure will move to the East which will allow some slightly cooler air into the far north. As such the temperatures in your area are not expected to fall too much, more returning to around average at 9C."

Meanwhile, cold snaps, wind, and snow have delayed spring blossom across most of the the UK but there should be 'truly incredible show' next month, the National Trust has said. March's cold temperatures and the driest February in 30 years have caused difficult conditions for flowering trees and hedgerows across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the charity said.

But launching its annual blossom campaign, the Trust said a milder and wetter April would counteract the earlier dry weather and the snow would not affect the beauty of the blossom once trees were in full flower.

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