Weather and climate change

Headline:

Heavy rain tonight, then strong winds and blustery showers.

This Evening and Tonight:

Rain, heavy at times, moving quickly eastwards across all parts of the UK. Clearer, showery weather following into western areas. Windy, with gales on coasts and hills.

Sunday:

Sunny spells and blustery showers. Showers will be frequent and heavy in the west with hail, thunder and squally winds. Winds increasing everywhere, with severe gales developing in southwest.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Rain and gales clearing east early Monday, with sunshine and showers following. Further wet and windy weather Tuesday, before a band of squally rain clears to sunshine and showers Wednesday.

Updated: 16:00 (UTC) on Sat 7 Dec 2019

Thursday should see locally heavy showers across the north which may turn wintry over higher ground. Longer spells of rain are possible over central and southern regions. Winds should ease through the day. The changeable theme looks to continue over the next few weeks with showers or longer spells of rain throughout. Any drier interludes are likely to be short-lived in any one place. Temperatures are likely to fall below average, which will increase the risk of wintry showers further north and allow for a low risk of snow along northern edges of rain bands. Some frost and freezing fog is possible at times, mainly across northern regions. Strong winds and a risk of coastal gales throughout the period.

Updated: 16:00 (UTC) on Sat 7 Dec 2019

A more changeable spell is expected towards the end of December, with the greatest potential for heavy rain in the south and east at first, with any snow becoming confined to northern hills. A more typical northwest/southeast split looks likely to develop into the New Year bringing rain to the northwest interspersed with showers, and drier periods further south. This could be accompanied by a general upturn in temperatures, as well as the risk of strong winds at times.

Updated: 16:00 (UTC) on Sat 7 Dec 2019