An unsettled outlook will see 'heavy and persistent' rain in parts of the UK this week, say forecasters, with the public warned to be prepared for possible disruption.
A deep low pressure system is set to bring adverse weather throughout the week, including torrential downpours and dangerous gale-force winds, with northern areas likely to be the worst affected.
The Met Office has issued a weather warning for heavy rain for western Scotland from midnight until 10am on Tuesday, with wet weather expected in many other areas.
Giving more detail on the advisory, Chief Meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: “Rain will turn heavy and persistent across western Scotland during Monday and into the early hours of Tuesday before clearing southeast during the morning.
"Widely 30 to 50 mm of rainfall is likely with perhaps 80 mm over some of the mountains and with the rain building up overnight impacts to travel are more likely on Tuesday morning”.
A Met Office weather warning for wind covering most of Scotland and Wales has also been applied for Wednesday.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist Rebekah Sherwin said gusts would clock in around "55 to 65 mph" within parts of the warning area on Tuesday, before potentially ramping up 80 mph by Wednesday.
"Should this develop, disruption to travel and wind damage would be more likely. In addition, heavy rain in the northwest may make travelling more difficult.”, she added.
A total of eight flood warnings are in force from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on Tuesday morning, with many of these applied to the Western Isles.
UK weather forecast:
Unsettled for next few days. Wet and windy for some.
Today:
Cloud and rain across Wales and northern England, heavy on hills. Often cloudy further S, with some light rain in southwest at times. Some bright or sunny spells in southeast and feeling rather warm. Blustery showers in north.
Tonight:
Rain over central parts pushing northwards across much of Scotland and Northern Ireland with strong winds and coastal gales. Mild night in east and southeast.
Wednesday:
Band of rain, occasionally heavy, clearing eastwards followed by scattered blustery showers. These locally heavy in north and west with a risk of thunder. Windy with coastal gales.
Outlook for Thursday to Saturday:
Sunshine and blustery showers, most frequent in the north and west, tending to ease by Saturday. Probably turning more generally unsettled from the west later Saturday, however. Temperatures around average.
