BANK holiday Monday looks set to be a disappointment for much of the country as a band of heavy rain crosses the UK.

But hope for higher temperatures is not far away as the mercury is due to start rising by early next week and will be in the high teens by the end of next week.

Later today, Sunday, there will be sporadic downpours in among sunny spells, with similar showers expected and drizzle in the afternoon. Highs of 11oC are expected.

But the good news is that Worcestershire will not have to endure snow in May.

Forecasters are predicting a chilly start to Sunday before a blanket of heavy cloud traps air and forces temperatures up but leaves the UK with a grey and dismal day.

And tomorrow, while some parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland have a bright start to bank holiday Monday, for most of the UK it will be wet and windy for much of the day before brightening from the west in the afternoon.

Sophie Yeomans, a forecaster at the Met Office, said the recent snowfall was likely to be a thing of the past.

She said: "The main risk of snow now is only really up in the mountains of Scotland. Towards the end of next week it will turn much milder and the risk of snow is starting to diminish."

Parts of England and Wales will see a chilly start to Sunday, with temperatures below freezing causing a frost, before a band of cloud moves in across north-western parts of the UK.

Ms Yeomans said: "It will continue moving south east through the day and most areas on Sunday will be turning incredibly cloudy.

"Rain will move into central and south-eastern areas through the rest of the afternoon, reaching the South East by the evening."

Temperatures will reach highs of around 13C (55.4F) in the North and 17C (62.6F) in the South.

Monday will see a cloudy start for most areas, before a band of rain moves across the country from the west, with "blustery" winds.

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