Today (Friday): It will be a cloudy start for much of the UK and misty along east England coasts at first. Showery rain and thunderstorms in the north and east will clear north-eastwards with some locally torrential downpours possible. Becoming fresher and brighter behind the rain with spells of sunshine and just the occasional shower.

Tonight (Friday night): The far north of Scotland will have showery rain for a time, but it will turn drier after midnight with some clear spells. The Northern Isles will have showery rain for much of the night, heavy at times. Wales, western parts of England and south-west Scotland will be generally dry with clear intervals, although there will be a scattering of showers towards dawn. Elsewhere, it will be dry with mostly clear skies.