Highlands & Eilean Siar

Headline:

Dry, bright Thursday morning, rain in afternoon and evening.

This Evening and Tonight:

Showers become confined to the north overnight with long clear spells developing elsewhere. Winds away from the north falling light, bringing a risk of frost in well-sheltered parts. Minimum temperature 2 °C.

Thursday:

A few early showers in north, otherwise a chilly start with sunny spells. Cloud increases from the west with occasionally heavy rain spreading east through the afternoon. Strengthening southerly winds. Maximum temperature 13 °C.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:

Rain clearing overnight to leave sunny spells and blustery showers Friday, the showers becoming heavier, more frequent Saturday with coastal gales. Mainly dry and bright on Sunday

Remaining changeable through the middle of October, as a series of low pressure systems run across the North Atlantic, often to the north and northwest of the UK, bringing occasional bands of rain and strong winds, but interspersed with brighter and more showery conditions. Rain will be most prevalent across hills in the west and especially northwest, where above average rainfall is likely through this period. Longer drier interludes are more favoured in sheltered southern and eastern parts, but even here it is likely to be wetter than during recent weeks. Whilst brief cooler interludes are possible, temperatures are likely to be a little above average in many areas for the period as a whole, potentially quite warm in parts of the southeast early in the period.

The remainder of October and into early November will probably maintain a changeable pattern overall, with areas of low pressure often passing close to the UK from the North Atlantic, interspersed by occasional ridges of high pressure. As such, showers or longer spells of rain are likely at times, with the wettest and windiest weather typically in the west and northwest, driest conditions more favoured in sheltered southern and eastern parts. A trend to more widely unsettled conditions is possible into November. Whilst some occasional colder interludes will be possible at times, temperatures are likely to be near or a little above average for the period as a whole.