Temperatures of 23C this weekend after Britain battered by rain and thunder

Britons will want to keep their brollies and BBQs out for the next week as weather forecasters have predicted more unsettled weather, with rain and cool conditions, but a hot and sunny weekend in between.

Yesterday saw thunder storms and dark skies over much of the UK, with more than 13mm of rain in Cheshire and St Andrews in Scotland being treated to a thunder and lightning display, the Daily Mail reports.

But things are looking up from today and parts of Britain are expected to see sunshine and highs of 23C by Friday.

Leon Brown of The Weather Channel told AOL Travel: "The weather is improving after today until Saturday as high pressure builds and cuts off the cool northwesterly flow that has been responsible for the unstable and showery weather over the past few days. Temperatures will lift to 21 to 23C by Friday and Saturday, but get prepared for another much cooler spell again early next week and more showers."

Mr Brown added that there are some slight changes in the outlook and "Sunday onwards remains more uncertain."

He said: "It is warming up steadily for the rest of the week, although not wall to wall sunshine with a risk of some afternoon showers as cloud builds inland over central Britain during the day. The best of the sunshine will be in the morning periods, and around coasts. The north will be generally cloudier and a cold front will bring some rain to northwest Scotland and Northern Ireland on Friday evening.

"Temperatures are expected to hit 21C on Thursday and 22 to 23C on Friday away from coasts in central and southern Britain."

For the weekend, England and Wales will have a mainly fine day on Saturday, but more cloud developing in the afternoon with a shower risk across the south Midlands and central southern England. Temperatures will be warm in the 21 to 23C range away from coasts. Rain will spread to west Scotland during the day."

Leon says that while the latest forecast suggests a greater risk of showers for Sunday over central Britain and rain for the northwest, the south and southeast may stay warm and quite sunny with temperatures of 21 to 22C. It is likely to be a little cooler over central Britain but still warm at 18 to 19C."

He added: "Next week there is a wide spread of forecasting solutions. Some continue to bring cooler weather, others keep it reasonably warm in easterly winds but all bring more unstable and wetter conditions which remain with us in the run up to the Whitsun weekend."

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