24 hours: SOME BRIGHTER SPELLS
Days 2-5: RAIN AT TIMES
Days 6-10: UNSETTLED

SUMMARY

Misty conditions with rain or drizzle affecting Orkney and Fair Isle will move away to leave a mostly dry and brighter end to Thursday. Winds freshening overnight with rain spreading from the southwest.

Shetland grey and misty with outbreaks of rain for much of Friday. Rain and mist clearing Orkney to leave a brighter, drier conclusion to the day. Mainly dry and brighter on Saturday, with rain on Sunday clearing to scattered showers by Monday.

Next week then unsettled with some rain or showers, and also turning cooler as winds become N'ly in direction.

GENERAL SITUATION AND SYNOPSIS 06:00 UTC

A shallow low will move east close to Fair Isle this morning, with pressure then building slightly as a weak ridge follows.

Tonight fronts will move east over northern Scotland, as the next deep Atlantic depression becomes slow-moving near Iceland. Relatively high pressure to the east will result in a waving cold front remaining close to the Northern Isles during the weekend. This will eventually push east on Monday, as the filling low near Iceland sinks southeast towards northwest Scotland.

During the remainder of next week, high pressure to the south of the UK is forecast to move east, with low pressure then drifting east across Scotland, to become centred over Scandinavia. At the same time pressure is predicted to build to the west of the British Isles, resulting in a cool N'ly airflow over northeast Scotland.

FORECAST FOR NEXT THREE DAYS
Confidence level: Weather type – medium. Timing – medium.

Temperatures today up to 15° or 16° Celsius, possibly 17° Celsius in the sunnier places, although several degrees cooler where mist and cloud persists. Mild tonight with a low of 12° or 13° Celsius. Rather warm for Friday and Saturday, with daytime temperatures between 16° and 18° Celsius, and a very warm 20° Celsius possible for favoured inland sites. Overnight lows of 13° Celsius.

THURSDAY 28th: A mainly dry and bright day for Shetland. The rather cloudy conditions with outbreaks of mainly light rain over Orkney and Fair Isle will gradually clear during the morning. The afternoon and evening then dry and bright with sunny or clear spells across the whole area. F2-3 SW to W'ly winds later backing SW'ly.

Sea state - Moderate or slight with a 1 to 2 metre W'ly swell.

FRIDAY 29th: Cloud thickening overnight as winds back S to SSE'ly and freshen F5, with outbreaks of rain reaching most areas by morning. The remainder of the day then cloudy, with mist and hill fog - this extensive across Shetland - and further outbreaks of rain. F4-5 S'ly winds veering S to SSW'ly.

Sea state - Slight with a 1 metre W'ly swell.

SATURDAY 30th: Generally cloudy with the chance of a little showery, light rain at times, otherwise mostly dry with some brighter interludes. With a F5 S to SSE'ly wind, still possibly misty with hill fog.

Sea state - Moderate or slight with a 1 to 2 metre W'ly swell.

10-DAY OUTLOOK
Confidence level: Weather type – low/medium. Timing – low.

Warm for a time, with daytime temperatures up to 15° to 17° Celsius. Mild nights, with a minimum of around 12° or 13° Celsius. Probably cooler again next week, with temperatures in the daily range 13° to 15° Celsius down to around 9° Celsius.

SUNDAY 31st: Cloudy with outbreaks of mainly light rain, perhaps heavier and more persistent during the afternoon, with the likelihood of mist and hill fog as moderate or fresh S to SE'ly winds fall light.

MONDAY 1st: Becoming drier and brighter as early rain and mist clears. Light S to SE'ly winds.

TUESDAY 2nd: Perhaps bright with scattered showers and mainly light winds.

WEDNESDAY 3rd - SUNDAY 7th: Unsettled and cooler with rain or showers. Light winds at first, increasing strong and backing NE to N'ly by the end of the week. Possibly becoming less unsettled with lighter winds by the following weekend.