Atherton (Greater Manchester) weather

Headline:

Cloudy and windy with rain arriving later. Mild.

Today:

A rather windy and cloudy day with occasional sunny intervals. Showery rain arriving by late afternoon, this heaviest and most persistent over Cumbria. A much milder day than on Thursday. Maximum temperature 10 °C.

Tonight:

Largely cloudy with showery rain clearing eastwards. Drier overnight with patchy drizzle over Cumbria and occasional clear spells. Staying blustery but mild. Minimum temperature 5 °C.

Saturday:

Often cloudy with some brighter spells developing in the east. Cloud thick enough for patchy drizzle over the moors. Very mild for the time of year and rather windy. Maximum temperature 13 °C.

Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain on Sunday. Colder with blustery showers on Monday mixed with sunny intervals. Cold start to Tuesday with hazy sunshine, rain arriving later.

A cold and frosty start is expected on Tuesday, with some patchy freezing fog in places, which may be slow to clear. Cloud will increase from the west, then later rain for western parts. This may fall as snow at first across Scotland and the Highlands. Following a brief settled spell, further fontal systems are expected to move in from the west, more likely to bring rain and breezy conditions for much of the UK, especially northern and western parts. Towards the end of the period there are signs for more settled weather becoming amplified across the south of the UK. Temperatures will be close to or below average on Tuesday, then rising above average where frontal systems move in from the west.

Across the south of the country, high pressure is signalled to be prevalent through the second half of December. Less settled weather is more likely at times though, especially across the north and west. This means wetter and windier spells are possible with a risk of some snow, especially across northern hills. These weather systems are expected to move fairly promptly, with settled spells developing between them, with settled conditions perhaps becoming UK-wide. As a result of these, frost and fog will be notably present where skies clear overnight. Temperatures generally close to average through the period, or slightly above in areas which are wet and windy.