Bootle (Merseyside) weather

Headline:

An unsettled week to come.

Today:

A dull and damp start, with outbreaks of patchy rain and drizzle through much of the day. However, some brighter breaks become possible in the west through the afternoon. Turning breezy along coasts and over higher ground through the afternoon. Maximum temperature 8 °C.

Tonight:

Cloudy overnight, with rain and drizzle continuing over higher ground in the east. Turning chillier overnight, with frost possible in rural spots. Brisk easterly wind, often breezy in prone spots. Minimum temperature 2 °C.

Tuesday:

A murky start, with rain continuing over hills. Brighter spells possible in the west through the afternoon. Turning increasingly unsettled later as a rain band pushes northwards. Winds easing later. Maximum temperature 6 °C.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Remaining unsettled into the second part of the week, with further spells of showers and periods of prolonged rain. Turning chillier from Thursday, with overnight frost possible. Breezy at times.

Frontal systems over the Atlantic, steered by a south-shifted jet stream, are likely to approach the UK at times, but tending to stall as they encounter a blocking area of high pressure to the north and northeast. This will result in further spells of rain at times, falling in areas already sensitive to flooding. As these bands of rain spread northwards, some snow will be possible in northern England and Scotland, mainly over higher ground, as they encounter colder air. A subtle shift southwards of these areas of low pressure is anticipated during the second week of February, which may allow a greater chance of colder air to spread across larger parts of the UK, including the south, bringing an increased risk of wintry hazards for a time.

Whilst confidence is lower through this period, a south-shifted jet stream is likely to persist for much of the time, steering areas of low pressure towards and south of the UK. This is likely to bring further spells of wet and windy weather, with rain most frequent in the south and west, and perhaps also eastern Scotland, with the driest conditions, relative to normal, in northwest Scotland. Some hill snow will be possible at times as the wet weather encounters colder air across northern parts of the UK. Temperatures for the period as a whole will likely be close to average for most parts, but perhaps a little below in the northeast.