Storm maps show Yorkshire and Lancashire hammered as UK hit by rain and 75mph gales

Parts of the UK are set for a stormy start to October, with weather maps forecasting intense rain and winds of up to 75mph hitting regions including Yorkshire and Lancashire. According to the latest weather maps from WX Charts, a powerful low-pressure system is expected to sweep in from the Atlantic on Friday, October 3, bringing strong gales to northern parts of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland by the evening, particularly around 7pm.

The unsettled conditions are expected to persist into Saturday, October 4. Lancashire is forecast to receive over 50mm of rain, while parts of Yorkshire could see around 10mm. Scotland, the Lake District, and especially Argyll and the Isles are also set to endure heavy rainfall throughout the weekend.

These weather forecasts come after a sudden transition into autumn across much of the UK.

This week, overnight temperatures are dipping below 10C in several parts of the UK, and widespread showers have also made for a damp and somewhat abrupt start to the season.

The Met Office's long-range forecast for the period of September 28 to October 7 reads: "Following a more unsettled weekend with a spell of rain across some areas, a return to drier conditions is likely for many parts by the start of next week.

"Around the turn of the month, while showers or longer spells of rain are possible for all areas at times, the wettest weather is likely to be focused on the northwest of the country.

"Any spells of windier weather are more likely in the northwest too. Elsewhere, there is a better chance of more prolonged fine and dry weather along with morning mist and fog patches in places.

"Temperatures generally around average. Uncertainty then increases during early October but a similar pattern is most likely to persist across the country."

Meanwhile, the UK is coming off the hottest summer on record, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.

The average temperature across June, July, and August 2025 reached 16.10C, breaking the previous record of 15.76C, set in 2018.

Although no single heatwave this summer broke the UK's all-time record of 40.3C of 2022, there were four separate heatwaves, making 2025 one of the longest and most intense periods of sustained heat the UK has ever experienced.