Rainy start with storm path to decide our fate
AFTER our mini-heatwave in September, where some days were warmer than the south of France, autumn is now busily tightening its grip on October with gusty winds and round after round of rain. And the Met Office is predicting that later in the month temperatures are set to plunge further still, bringing the first snow of the year. Our Christmas turkeys may be under threat, but not the on-off presence of snow.
The gales and blustery, damp conditions of yesterday will ease in some parts of the UK today as the weather front that brought them into the South West moves northwards. But they will spend much of today over Scotland, with a constant threat of rain. Further south, the breeze will blow showers west to east across England and Wales as the day progresses, but in between there will be autumnal bursts of sunshine and blue skies.
The best of the temperatures will be in the South East, in East Anglia at 17C (63F). Over much of southern England, the Midlands and Wales, expect 15C (59F), with 12C (54F) in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Tomorrow will see the UK in the gap between weather fronts, so less rain and more sunshine, but by Tuesday, those south-westerly winds will be sending more low pressure and more wet fronts our way.
Later in the week, our fate is in the balance. In the Atlantic this weekend, closer to America, hurricane Sam is whipping things up. As the week progresses, it will track eastwards towards us. Quite how close it comes to the UK will shape our weather. If it passes by far to the north, it will leave room for some high pressure. If it comes ashore over these islands, there may be more gales and rain.