North East weekend weather forecast as Met Office gives verdict on rest of April

The North East is set to see something of an improvement in the weather this weekend, but big coats may still be needed amid single-figure day temperatures and cold nights.

According to the latest forecast for the Met Office, following a clear and frosty Friday night with temperatures dropping to zero, Saturday (April 20) is thankfully expected to be mostly dry with early bright spells following a very wet month so far. But some areas may not quite manage to escape the April showers this weekend, with some outbreaks of light rain later in the day.

Sunday (April 21) is predicted to be generally cloudy, again accompanied by some light showers across the region, with temperatures near or a little below average - seeing highs of just 8°C in Newcastle. It's a considerably brighter forecast than last weekend, which saw more widespread blustery heavy rain arrive following flash flooding in parts of the North East earlier in the month.

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While temperatures may feel a little on the chilly side, one plus is that it's getting lighter for longer each day - on Saturday, the sun will rise at 5.51am and set at 8.21pm. And by Sunday there will be an extra five minutes of daylight, with sunrise at 5:48am and sunset at 8:23pm.

Looking ahead to the start of next week, Monday is expected to look very similar to Sunday, with mostly cloudy skies accompanied by outbreaks of light rain, while Tuesday is forecast to be drier and brighter with light winds. Here's what the weather looks like hour-by-hour in Newcastle over the next two days.

Hour-by-hour forecast for Saturday, April 20 in Newcastle

• 6am: 4°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 7am: 4°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 8am: 5°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 9am: 6°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 10am: 7°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 11am: 8°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 12pm: 8°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 1pm: 8°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 2pm: 8°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 3pm: 9°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 4pm: 8°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 5pm: 8°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 6pm: 8°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 7pm: 7°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 8pm: 7°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation
  

• 9pm: 7°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 10pm: 6°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 11pm: 6°C / Overcast / 10% chance of precipitation

Three-hour forecast for Sunday, April 21 in Newcastle

• 7am: 5°C / Overcast / 20% chance of precipitation

• 10am: 6°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 1pm: 7°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 4pm: 7°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 7pm: 7°C / Cloudy / 10% chance of precipitation

• 10pm: 6°C / Overcast / 20% chance of precipitation

Looking ahead to the rest of the month, the long-range UK forecast from the Met Office reads: "Temperatures overall are likely to remain around or a little below average, while any warmer conditions will generally be further west - and near some eastern coasts it could feel quite cold at times.

"There should be a reasonable amount of dry weather around, especially in the north and west, but some rain or showers are likely at times, most likely in the south and east at first, but with an increasing risk elsewhere towards early May," forecasters added.