Forecast Issued – January 9th 2015

Wet and windy, quite mild at first, colder later…

FRIDAY JANUARY 9TH: After a dry start rain will quickly develop along with increasing winds from the southwest giving gale force gusts at times. Mild with temperatures of 11c to 14c, perhaps 15c. The rain will ease for a while during the afternoon but later this evening and OVERNIGHT another spell of rain will cross from the Atlantic. Turning much colder as the rain clears to scattered showers of rain, hail, sleet and hill snow. Lows of 2c or 3c by dawn. Winds remaining strong and veering more westerly.

SATURDAY JANUARY 10TH: A blustery day with strong west winds. Showers will be frequent and at times wintry, though some sunny spells getting through also. Highs of just 3c to 6c. OVERNIGHT: Cold and windy with some showers, becoming isolated later. Lows of 2c to 5c.

SUNDAY JANUARY 11TH: After a cold start temperatures will slowly increase throughout the day as moderate west winds back southerly later. It should hold dry with some sunny spells for daylight hours with highs reaching 7c or 8c by darkfall. Becoming overcast in the evening. OVERNIGHT: Heavy rain extending from the west along with strong SW winds backing west later around dawn.

MONDAY JANUARY 12TH: Early morning rain clearing to give some sunny spells. Becoming colder as the day wears on with showers extending from the west towards darkfall along with an increasing W wind. OVERNIGHT: Very cold in a strong west to southwest wind. Lows of 0c to 2c or 3c with some wintry showers – possibly some snowfall also – more on this later.

FURTHER OUTLOOK: A windy week ahead with cold weather dominating though there will be temporary incursions of milder air. Some heavy falls of rain, sleet and snow are possible – with any snowfall being determined upon tracks of storm centres which computer models are unclear about at present. More on this later…