The BBC Mouthly Outlook; - Groundhog Day: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2635167
---------------------------------------------
Monday 3 February Published at 10:00
Monthly Outlook
Summary
It's like Groundhog Day, all over again
After one of the wettest Januarys ever recorded, goodness knows the UK could do with a prolonged dry period and a bit of a wringing out. Sadly, that does not look likely within this monthly outlook. Instead the recent weather pattern looks set to continue and once more we are facing a month ahead that seems to offer little prospect of significant snow but plenty more wet and windy weather.
Monday 3 February—Sunday 9 February
Rain and gales with a side order of rain and gales
Several areas of low pressure will affect the UK through the week bringing a prolonged spell of very unsettled and stormy weather. By and large, temperatures will be near normal or slightly above. There will be showers or longer spells of rain, heavy at times, accompanied by gale or severe gale force winds. Monday is already proving to be no exception, with rain and gales in western areas. Through Tuesday night into Wednesday there will be further gales affecting a wider part of the UK, with overnight rain followed by frequent heavy showers during Wednesday.
Thursday offers a quieter day for most, not without some showers scattered around but with winds easing off and more in the way of sunshine between any showers. It will be colder in the north on Thursday night, with a risk of frost and ice where skies clear. This leads into a largely fine day in more northern parts on Friday.
The respite doesn't last further south, however, and a further area of low pressure is currently expected to move across the southeastern quadrant of the UK on Friday, with rain possibly turning heavy and persistent for a time in the south. At this time there is some uncertainty of the track and extent of influence of this particular system but there is certainly a risk of rain in areas that could do without a top-up.
Then, starting Friday night with yet another deep depression moving in from the Atlantic, it will remain unsettled and windy as we go through the weekend.
Monday 10 February—Sunday 16 February
Hopefully a sign of something drier?
It will stay unsettled and occasionally windy through the following week with further showers or longer spells of rain, these occasionally heavy and with a risk of hill snow in the north. To offer a crumb of positivity, it currently looks as though the best of any drier and brighter interludes will be in the east and southeast. There is certainly no threat of significant, disruptive snow, as temperatures are signalled to be generally rather mild in the south. In the north they will be near to normal with the risk of overnight frost and ice.
Monday 17 February—Sunday 9 March
No snow, but perhaps less rain in places
Current indications point towards early February's changeable conditions persisting through the rest of the month with deep Atlantic lows continuing to sweep by the UK, especially towards the northwest of our islands. The most likely scenario during this period would see northwestern parts of the UK affected by the most frequent spells of unsettled and windy weather.
Meanwhile, with higher pressure tending to favour the opposite corner of the country, southern and eastern regions would tend to see the longer spells of drier and brighter weather. As we have tended to see throughout this winter, some colder periods are possible, particularly between weather systems. This suggests that temperatures are likely to remain close to the seasonal average, with frost and ice possible by night.
Originally Posted by: tallyho_83