Bright, sunny weather, but cooler temperatures this weekend should mean perfect conditions for the London marathon.
A widespread frost on Saturday morning could see temperatures down to minus 2C at dawn across the Midlands and Wales, but after a chilly start it looks like Saturday will be the best day of the weekend with lots of sunshine and afternoon temperatures of 12-13C.
On Sunday the best of the weather in the south will be early in the day, with perfect running conditions for the London marathon – a sunny but cool start with a gentle SW breeze.
Weather will be "perfect" conditions for marathon, say forecasters
Next week the north of the UK will be windy with showers moving east.
The south should see some showers but also plenty of fine and dry weather with temperatures set to be 14 – 16C according to Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel
The strong winds easing with a spell of fine weather to end the week and start of the weekend. Last night gusts over 75mph recorded in N.Wales and 78mph across the southern Pennines, but widely 50 to 60mph over northern England.
Saturday will be the best day of the weekend with lots of sunshine after the chilly start, and light winds too. The exception the far NW of Scotland where rain will arrive by evening. Afternoon temperatures 12 to 13C, so near normal but feeling warmer in the sunshine.
On Sunday a cold front will move SE with a band of showery rain and fresher S-SW winds, so the best of the weather in the south will be early in the day
Next week the north of the UK will be windy with further bands of rain then showers moving east. The south much better with some showers but also plenty of fine and dry weather too with temperatures near or slightly above normal, 14 to 16C.
However, from the end of next week it does look like turning wetter and quite a bit cooler and from the north. This cooler unsettled weather lasting to early May with night frosts in the north and even snow over the mountains in Scotland at times.
After that, summer could be finally on its way.
Vantage Weather Solutions says May should witness a change in fortunes as "conditions finally warm up, most noticeably in southern and eastern regions".
The website's experts say temperatures could climb to 25C across some parts of the UK, including southern England and Wales, and suggest the chances are that it will "be warmer than usual in south east England", during May.
Their long-range weather forecast reads: "May will finally herald the arrival of some spring warmth for the UK. Pressure will remain highest across Europe, and often affect southern regions, so this will have a positive influence on conditions for all regions except the north and north-west.
"In the best spells of dry and sunny weather, most likely across southern England and Wales, the mercury will reach the 20-25C.