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Amber snow warning issued
Amber and yellow weather warnings have been issued for snow and ice as the cold weather continues.
Read moreKirkwall Airport (Orkney Islands) weather
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Forecast days
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Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -3 degrees Celsius. Cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.Today. Maximum daytime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -3 degrees Celsius. Cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.
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Sunday 3 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 1 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.Sunday 3 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 1 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.
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Monday 4 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 6 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 1 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy changing to sunny by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.Monday 4 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 6 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 1 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy changing to sunny by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.
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Tuesday 5 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 5 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -1 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.Tuesday 5 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 5 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: -1 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.
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Wednesday 6 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 5 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 2 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.Wednesday 6 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 5 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 2 degrees Celsius. Partly cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low; Pollution: Low; No pollen data.
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Thursday 7 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 7 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light rain by nighttime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low;Thursday 7 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 7 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius. Cloudy changing to light rain by nighttime. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low;
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Friday 8 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 7 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius. Cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low;Friday 8 December. Maximum daytime temperature: 7 degrees Celsius; Minimum nighttime temperature: 4 degrees Celsius. Cloudy. Sunrise: ; Sunset: . UV: Low;
Seven day forecast for Kirkwall Airport
| Time | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
<5% | 10% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% |
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2°
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1°
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1°
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1°
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0°
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-1°
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-1°
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-2°
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|
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-2° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -3° | -3° | -3° | -4° |
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SSW
9
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SSW
7
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SW
7
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WSW
7
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WSW
7
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WSW
6
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WSW
5
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WNW
4
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10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
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VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | M | VG | G |
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Humidity
|
90% | 91% | 89% | 90% | 92% | 95% | 94% | 94% |
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UV
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 01:00 | 02:00 | 03:00 | 04:00 | 05:00 | 06:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 | 09:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | 12:00 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 18:00 | 19:00 | 20:00 | 21:00 | 22:00 | 23:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
<5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% | <5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | <5% | <5% |
|
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-1°
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-1°
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-1°
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0°
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0°
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0°
|
1°
|
0°
|
1°
|
1°
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1°
|
2°
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3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
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3°
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2°
|
3°
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2°
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3°
|
3°
|
2°
|
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-3° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -2° | -1° | -2° | -1° | 0° | 1° | 1° | 0° | 0° | 0° | -1° | -1° | 0° | -1° | -1° | 0° | -1° |
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WSW
4
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NNW
5
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NNW
4
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NNE
5
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NNE
5
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NE
5
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N
7
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NNE
6
|
N
8
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NE
8
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NNE
7
|
ENE
6
|
NE
8
|
ENE
9
|
E
7
|
E
7
|
ENE
9
|
ENE
9
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NE
9
|
ENE
10
|
E
9
|
ENE
10
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NE
9
|
ENE
9
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6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 17 |
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G | G | G | G | G | G | VG | M | M | M | M | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | M | VG | VG |
|
Humidity
|
92% | 93% | 94% | 91% | 94% | 94% | 93% | 94% | 93% | 95% | 94% | 90% | 87% | 87% | 89% | 89% | 87% | 87% | 87% | 86% | 86% | 87% | 85% | 86% |
|
UV
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
10% | 10% | 10% | <5% | <5% | <5% | 10% | 10% |
|
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
5°
|
4°
|
3°
|
2°
|
|
|
-1° | 0° | 0° | 0° | 2° | 0° | -1° | -1° |
|
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E
10
|
ENE
12
|
E
11
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NE
10
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NE
10
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NE
9
|
ENE
9
|
ENE
8
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17 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
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VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG |
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Humidity
|
86% | 83% | 86% | 85% | 76% | 84% | 83% | 84% |
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UV
|
- | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
<5% | <5% | 10% | 10% | <5% | 10% | 10% | <5% |
|
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
2°
|
3°
|
2°
|
1°
|
1°
|
|
|
0° | 0° | 0° | 0° | 2° | 0° | -1° | -1° |
|
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NNE
8
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NNE
8
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NNW
8
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NNW
7
|
WNW
7
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NW
7
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NW
7
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WNW
6
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|
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13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
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G | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG |
|
Humidity
|
86% | 87% | 87% | 87% | 83% | 86% | 88% | 88% |
|
UV
|
- | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
10% | 20% | <5% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
|
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
1°
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
3°
|
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-1° | -1° | -1° | -1° | 1° | 0° | 0° | 0° |
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W
7
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S
7
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SW
7
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SSE
8
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S
8
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ESE
9
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ESE
11
|
ESE
13
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10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 20 |
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VG | P | M | M | M | G | VG | VG |
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Humidity
|
89% | 89% | 89% | 87% | 82% | 83% | 81% | 79% |
|
UV
|
- | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
|
10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 20% | 50% |
|
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4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
4°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
|
|
0° | 0° | 0° | 0° | 1° | 1° | 0° | 0° |
|
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ESE
14
|
ESE
16
|
ESE
17
|
ESE
19
|
ESE
20
|
ESE
20
|
ESE
21
|
ESE
22
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22 | 25 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 35 |
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VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | VG | G | G |
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Humidity
|
78% | 78% | 77% | 74% | 73% | 74% | 76% | 77% |
|
UV
|
- | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Time | 00:00 | 03:00 | 06:00 | 09:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 18:00 | 21:00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather symbols |
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Chance of precipitation
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20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
|
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
5°
|
6°
|
6°
|
5°
|
5°
|
|
|
0° | 0° | 0° | 1° | 2° | 1° | 0° | 0° |
|
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E
22
|
E
22
|
E
22
|
E
21
|
E
20
|
E
18
|
E
18
|
E
17
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36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
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G | G | G | G | G | G | G | VG |
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Humidity
|
79% | 80% | 81% | 80% | 78% | 79% | 81% | 81% |
|
UV
|
- | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
Our weather symbols tell you the weather conditions for any given hour in the day or night. This means that the symbol for 09:00 shows you what you will see from 09:00 to 10:00.
Chance of precipitation represents how likely it is that rain (or other types of precipitation, such as sleet, snow, hail and drizzle) will fall from the sky at a certain time.
This number shows the air temperature for the time period. You can see the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit by using the dropdown menu.
Feels like temperature considers other factors, such as wind speed and humidity. This gives you a better idea of how the temperature will actually feel at the time.
Wind gust shows the highest wind speed that you should encounter at that time, as winds peak and lull.
Strong winds are shown in bold for speeds of 29 mph or more.
The arrow shows the direction the wind is blowing. The letters show the direction the wind is blowing from (on a standard 16-point compass).
The number represents the average wind speed expected at that time.
The arrow shows the direction of the wind (up is north). If the arrow points from land to sea, the wind will be blowing out to sea (‘offshore’). The number is the average wind speed.
Beware of offshore winds if you are using inflatables, paddle boards or kayaks. These winds can blow you out to sea. Read more about how wind will affect you at the beach.
Visibility measures the distance at which an object can be clearly seen.
| VP (Very Poor) | Less than 1 km |
| P (Poor) | 1.1 km to 4 km |
| M (Moderate) | 4.1 km to 10 km |
| G (Good) | 10.1 km to 20 km |
| VG (Very Good) | 20.1 km to 40 km |
| E (Excellent) | Greater than 40 km |
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. If there is a lot of water vapour, the humidity will be high. The higher the percentage of humidity, the wetter it will feel outside.
UV exposure index and the protection required to help keep you safe:
No risk of UV - It’s safe to stay outside. Low - You can safely stay outside. Consider sunscreen in direct sunlight. Moderate - Take care during midday hours and do not spend too much time in the sun unprotected. Sunscreen advised. High - Seek shade during midday hours, cover up and wear sunscreen. Very high - Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm. Shirt, sunscreen and hat are essential. Extreme - Avoid being outside during midday hours. Shirt, sunscreen and hat essential.
This is the average height of the waves, 1-2 miles out to sea. The height of the waves can vary. The individual waves out to sea or at the beach can be higher than this number. If you are close to the water, keep an eye on the waves to stop you or your belongings being swept away.
Read more about calculating the expected height of the waves at the beach.
This is the average number of seconds between one wave and the next, 1-2 miles out to sea. A long wave period (more than 10 seconds) means the waves at the beach may be more powerful. Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Read more about the period of waves.
The arrow shows the average direction of the waves 1-2 miles out to sea. It indicates how sheltered the beach will be from these waves. If the arrow points towards land, most of the waves’ power will reach the beach. If the arrow is parallel to or pointing away from land, the wave height is likely to be lower on the beach than it is offshore.
Lifeguards can give you advice on waves if you’re planning to go into the water.
Kirkwall Airport weather map
View the weather with our interactive map
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Orkney & Shetland weather forecast
Headline:
Mainly dry and cold, a few showers.
Today:
Saturday will stay dry with sunny spells much of the time with only an occasional shower. The day will be cold with a light and changeable wind. Maximum temperature 4 °C.
Tonight:
Shetland will be dry with increasing clear spells overnight. Orkney will be cloudy with a few clear spells and the occasional shower. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
Sunday:
Cloudy a bright spells and a few showers over Orkney but dry with sunny spells Shetland. Cold. Maximum temperature 3 °C.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:
Cloudy and cold with bright spells Monday to Wednesday. A few showers at times Monday and Tuesday, mainly dry Wednesday with strengthening southeast winds later.
Updated:
UK long range weather forecast
An uncertain start to the period as milder and more generally unsettled, windy conditions across the south and west try and extend further north and east. Its likely that these milder conditions will ultimately spread to the whole UK, but it may well take until the weekend to reach the extreme northeast of Scotland. Elsewhere, milder, or at least less cold weather than the preceding days, with areas of rain and stronger winds, more especially in the west, this erratically spreading further north and east with time, and turning to snow across parts of the northeast especially. Moving towards mid December and more generally unsettled and milder conditions look most probable although a return of the colder conditions cannot be ruled out entirely.
Updated:
Conditions are most likely to be changeable through this period. Wetter and windier than average conditions are slightly more likely than normal, especially in the west and northwest. Temperatures are most likely to be near or above average overall, especially in the south and west. It is possible that there ill be further colder interludes, but these likely to be short lived at first. Perhaps a greater chance of a longer cold spell late in the period.
Updated:
