Heavy Rain And Coastal Gales To Give Way To Warmer Weekend In Cumbria
Cumbria is facing a mixed five day spell of weather, with heavy rain arriving across the county before conditions become drier and brighter over the weekend. The outlook includes strong coastal winds, a notably calmer Saturday and a warmer Sunday before temperatures fall again.
Widespread heavy rain is expected across Cumbria, with temperatures reaching around 18C and the chance of precipitation remaining above 90 per cent across most areas. Residents are being advised to keep waterproof clothing close at hand as the wet conditions move through the county.
The weather is expected to change on Friday, when the rain should ease for most areas but stronger winds will become the main feature. Coastal locations are likely to experience the most blustery conditions, while inland areas should see lighter winds.
Silloth and Barrow are expected to experience coastal gusts approaching 40mph, equivalent to around 17 metres per second. By comparison, Kendal and Alston are forecast to experience considerably lighter breezes.
Friday should nevertheless be considerably drier than Thursday, although scattered showers will remain possible across the county. Rain chances vary significantly by location, ranging from around 10 per cent in the south to as high as 70 per cent in northern parts of Cumbria, with temperatures reaching around 17C.
Saturday is forecast to provide the most settled conditions of the five day period. Rain chances are expected to fall below 10 per cent almost everywhere, with gentle winds and temperatures generally between 16C and 17C.
The improvement on Saturday could provide the best opportunity for outdoor activities, with the forecast pointing towards calm, dry and bright conditions across much of the county. Coastal and inland areas alike are expected to benefit from the quieter weather.
Conditions are then expected to become warmer on Sunday, with inland parts of Cumbria potentially reaching 21C. The rise in temperature will be accompanied by increasing cloud and a growing chance of scattered showers later in the afternoon and evening.
Carlisle is forecast to reach a county high of 21C on Sunday, while Keswick and Alston are expected to remain closer to 18C. Other locations, including Ambleside, Appleby, Barrow, Kendal and Grange-over-Sands, could reach around 20C.
The warmer conditions will not last into the start of next week. Monday is expected to see temperatures fall back towards 16C, although the day should remain relatively calm with only a 15 to 20 per cent chance of daytime rain.
Heavier showers are expected to move in overnight on Monday, suggesting that the unsettled pattern could return after the quieter conditions experienced during Saturday and parts of Sunday.
There will be noticeable differences between individual parts of the county throughout the forecast period. Coastal communities are likely to bear the brunt of Friday's stronger winds, while inland areas should generally experience more sheltered conditions.
In Barrow, Friday is expected to be noticeably windy but largely dry, followed by a dry Saturday and a warmer Sunday reaching around 20C. Silloth faces a wetter and windier Friday, with gusts approaching 16 metres per second and a 71 per cent chance of showers, before conditions improve on Saturday.
Kendal is forecast to remain wet today, with a 93 per cent chance of rain and temperatures around 18C, before becoming drier and windy on Friday. Saturday is expected to be completely dry, while Sunday could reach 21C with evening showers returning.
Workington is also expected to experience heavy rain today before strong coastal winds arrive on Friday, with gusts reaching up to 17 metres per second and a 51 per cent chance of rain. Saturday should be calm and dry, followed by temperatures around 20C on Sunday and a return of showers.
Across Cumbria, the forecast therefore points to a sharp contrast between the wet and unsettled conditions at the start of the period and the much calmer weather expected during the weekend. Saturday currently stands out as the driest day, while Sunday offers the highest temperatures before cooler conditions return on Monday.
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