Wide Firth (Orkney Islands) weather

Headline:

Mainly dry, bright spells. Cloudy, showery rain Orkney later.

Today:

There is the chance of an occasional shower over Shetland otherwise much of the day will be dry with bright spells. Cloud and outbreaks of showery rain will spread over Orkney from mid-afternoon. Maximum temperature 8 °C.

Tonight:

Dry at first over Shetland otherwise cloudy with continuing showery rain for much of the night. Clear spells will increase as the rain clears Orkney towards the morning. Minimum temperature 5 °C.

Sunday:

Orkney will stay dry and bright as cloud and rain lingers over Shetland through the day. This cloud and rain will push west over Orkney from the evening. Maximum temperature 8 °C.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Bands of rain and showers will push northeast through this period. These bands will be interspersed with occasional spells of drier and brighter conditions.

Throughout this period, the UK will see a battle between Atlantic weather systems attempting to arrive from the west while high pressure and colder conditions attempt to exert some influence from the east. Initially, milder Atlantic air is expected to dominate. This should maintain often cloudy, changeable conditions with showers or longer spells of rain for most. The wettest weather in western parts of the country, drier in the east. Temperatures overall likely to be around average with some night frosts in clearer areas. Later in the period, there is an increased chance that conditions will turn colder. This aspect of the forecast is still somewhat uncertain but the potential transition to colder weather also increases the chance of snow across parts of the country.

Initially, slowly evolving weather patterns are most likely in the vicinity of the UK, with low pressure typically to the west or southwest and high pressure to the northeast. This configuration brings an increased chance of cold conditions affecting the UK, and the associated risk of wintry hazards at times. Deeper into February, and whilst confidence is naturally low, there may be a transition to more widely unsettled conditions and a corresponding recovery in temperature back closer to average.