GALES are set to sweep York and North Yorkshire tonight and tomorrow - before a dramatic switch to warmer, sunnier weather later in the week.

After an unusually cool and wet May, June is starting with one more unseasonably active Atlantic depression and frontal system crossing the country, bringing rain and strong winds, before an anticyclone starts to build on Wednesday.

Weathermen have warned that York could see gusts of 50 mph late this evening, accompanied by heavy rain, with gusts of up to 60 mph over higher ground.

There could then be further gusts of 45 mph tomorrow afternoon before the weather settles down and summer finally arrives.

With trees in leaf, the impact of the strong winds will be much greater than in winter, and some trees could be brought down.

After enduring temperatures in the low teens Centigrade, or the 50s Fahrenheit, through much of May, the mercury will rise as the week goes on, to 15C by Wednesday and 18 C, or 64 F, by Thursday and Friday and through next weekend.

Weathermen also expect the high pressure to continue to dominate weather conditions next week, with further dry and warm spells.