Orkney & Shetland weather

Headline:

Gales. Showers or longer periods of rain, heavy at times.

Today:

Cool with showers or longer periods of rain throughout with outbreaks heavy at times bringing the risk of localised flooding, chiefly to Shetland. Winds increasing to a strong to gale north to northwesterly. Maximum temperature 13 °C.

Tonight:

Strong to gale force north to northwest winds bringing frequent showers, these heavy at times and across Shetland during the early evening merging to longer periods of rain. Minimum temperature 5 °C.

Wednesday:

Another cool, windy, showery day. Showers most frequent and heavy across Shetland through the morning, but winds and showers gradually easing from early afternoon. Maximum temperature 13 °C.

Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:

Showery north to northwest flow gradually easing through Thursday. Dry, bright for much of Friday, then rain spreading from west by evening that lingers for much of Saturday.

Updated: 05:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 10 Sep 2024

It will likely be quite cloudy with outbreaks of rain and potentially strong winds across northwestern areas on Saturday, while somewhat drier and brighter in more southern and eastern parts. By Sunday this wetter zone of weather is likely to sink further south into more central parts, with showers following into the northwest. Confidence is low for early next week, but the chance of some rain or showers in places, more especially in the west and northwest, before a trend towards higher pressure building in the vicinity of the UK from midweek onwards, leading to a more blocked pattern thereafter. After a chilly start to the weekend, temperatures will return to near-normal for mid-September, possibly above-average in places from later next week.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 9 Sep 2024

The recent spell of more blocked weather patterns may ease at the beginning of this period, with a gradual revert back to a more mobile west or southwesterly type most likely, with low pressure often centred to the northwest of the UK and high pressure over the nearby continent. This would bring spells of wet and sometimes windy conditions, most frequently in the northwest, with longer drier periods towards the south and east. Temperatures will typically be near normal, perhaps a little below at times in the northwest especially, with the chance of some occasional warmer conditions in the south and east.

Updated: 16:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 9 Sep 2024