More widespread unsettled conditions for early October

Unsettled conditions look set to dominate the start of October across Britain and Ireland, with a clear split in the weather between the northwest and southeast, according to the UK Met Office.

Rain and strong winds will be more frequent in northwestern areas, while the southeast should enjoy drier spells. Hurricane Humberto, currently moving into the North Atlantic and losing its tropical characteristics, is expected to exert some influence on the pattern. This could bring a spell of wet and very windy weather around the first weekend of October.

Beyond that point the detail of the forecast becomes less certain due to the potential for further Atlantic tropical cyclone activity. Even so, further spells of wet and windy weather are possible, particularly across northern areas, with longer settled periods further south. Daytime temperatures are likely to be near or a little above average, although cooler nights and some overnight fog are possible later in the south.

The second half of October looks set to continue in a similar vein, with unsettled conditions focused on the north and the best of any drier interludes in the south at first. From mid-month onwards, more widely unsettled weather is signalled to develop, bringing frequent bouts of wet and windy conditions to a greater portion of the UK and Ireland. With westerly winds predominating, temperatures should average out slightly above the seasonal norm, and overnight conditions are likely to be relatively mild, with fog less common than usual for the time of year.