The UK should get ready for a change in weather this week, the Met Office has warned, with a mixture of frost, fog, spells of sunshine, heavy rain and strong winds.

Here is this week's weather forecast.

Monday (22 March) will be a mainly dry day, with variable clouds and some spells of sunshine. However, “some drizzle is possible in the far north and north west,” according to the Met Office.

Monday evening will be cloudy, but a little drizzle will continue in areas of the North. It will be dry elsewhere with areas of cloud, and some clear spells will lead to patchy frost and fog.

Tuesday (22 March) will be generally dry with a good deal of cloud and some sunny intervals.

However, it will become windier in the North West, with rain moving east across Northern Ireland and western Scotland during the afternoon.

The Met Office UK outlook for Wednesday (24 March) to Friday (26 March) said: “Unsettled with strong winds and showers in northwestern areas, while mostly fine with variable cloud elsewhere.

“On Friday heavy showers overspread the UK, with these turning wintry in the northwest.”

What is the long-term forecast?

Looking further ahead, the Met Office UK outlook for Friday 26 March to Sunday 4 April forecasts wintry conditions and heavy rain in some parts.

Friday 26 March is expected to see a cold interlude, with rain, showers and strong winds affecting most of the UK.

“Some of these showers could turn wintry for a time, especially over higher ground but not confined to,” added the Met Office.

“Bands of rain are then likely to continue to move in from the northwest, with the heaviest rain across northern and western parts of the UK,” said the Met Office.

The best of any settled weather will be in southeastern areas, but rain could also reach here at times.

The Met Office said: “The strongest winds are likely to be across far northern and northwestern areas, with winds possibly being from fresh to strong across other parts too.”

Temperatures are expected to be near to or a little above average, but short-lived cooler interludes could also occur.

Looking past the 4 April, “unsettled and changeable conditions are likely to continue across northwestern areas,” said the Met Office.

However, high pressure may spread northwards through early April, which will bring a period of settled conditions for most.