Will Scotland’s summer weather brighten up? The forecast for the end of July and start of August

A band of rain and cloud is sweeping in later today as the recent ridge of high pressure disappears, initially affecting western parts of the UK – including Scotland.

These outbreaks of rain are likely to become increasingly organised and spread east overnight, with heavier bursts developing across the north-west and later the south-west.

It will feel fairly warm and muggy overnight as the cloud thickens and lowers, with temperatures staying up as far as 15C.

Tomorrow is likely to be a bit cooler and fairly wet, with scattered showers and drizzle merging to bring longer spells of rain in some places.

Mild but dreary

“It might be a mild start to Thursday, but it will be a dreary one with this frontal system moving through,” Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said.

A rash of showers will spread through Argyll and the Highlands, pushing eastwards as the day goes on and possibly bringing some rumbles of thunder later on.

Widespread cloud means it will be a largely grey day for many and still quite muggy, with the best of the sunshine likely in the Grampian area.

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A few bright spells are also possible in the central belt.

The highest warmth is likely to be in the north-east, reaching up to 22C around Aberdeenshire.

The mixture of sunshine and showers is predicted to continue on Friday and Saturday as the changeable pattern continues.

The outlook for Sunday is a bit more pleasant, with a mostly dry day for many and some long sunny intervals expected.

However, unsettled conditions are expected to return from Monday.

Early August will also be mixed, with northwestern areas likely to experience breezy conditions with more cloud and some occasional outbreaks of rain as weakening Atlantic frontal systems attempt to push eastwards across the UK.

It will tend to be drier and brighter much of the time towards the south and east.

Temperatures will probably be close to or slightly above average overall.