UK weather

Headline:

Rain moving southeast today, followed by sunshine and showers. Windy.

Today:

Rain will move southeastwards across England and Wales and gradually clear from Shetland. Elsewhere there will be sunshine and showers, the showers heaviest in the northwest, with some hail and thunder. Widely windy, with temperatures dropping from the northwest.

Tonight:

There will be clear spells and blustery showers overnight. Showers will be most widespread in the north and west, and heaviest in the northwest, where hail and thunder is possible.

Saturday:

Saturday will bring sunny spells and showers, the showers heaviest in the northwest with some hail and thunder. A generally cool and blustery day, with coastal gales in the northwest.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Dry and bright with lighter winds on Sunday. Wet and windy weather arriving in the west later. Rather cloudy with showery rain on Monday. Becoming brighter, though breezy on Tuesday.

Remaining changeable through the middle of October, as a series of low pressure systems run across the North Atlantic, often to the north and northwest of the UK, bringing occasional bands of rain and strong winds, but interspersed with brighter and more showery conditions. Rain will be most prevalent across hills in the west and especially northwest, where above average rainfall is likely through this period. Longer drier interludes are more favoured in sheltered southern and eastern parts, but even here it is likely to be wetter than during recent weeks. Whilst brief cooler interludes are possible, temperatures are likely to be a little above average in many areas for the period as a whole, potentially quite warm in parts of the southeast early in the period.

The remainder of October and into early November will probably maintain a changeable pattern overall, with areas of low pressure often passing close to the UK from the North Atlantic, interspersed by occasional ridges of high pressure. As such, showers or longer spells of rain are likely at times, with the wettest and windiest weather typically in the west and northwest, driest conditions more favoured in sheltered southern and eastern parts, and perhaps more widely initially. A trend to more widely unsettled conditions is possible into November. Whilst some occasional colder interludes will be possible at times, temperatures are likely to be near or a little above average for the period as a whole.