We have had quite a chilly October, and as we move into November the risk of storms and extremes of weather increases. Throughout the year we work hard to ensure that we are prepared for all weather to ensure that we continue the power the lives of our five million customers throughout the region.

In this month’s Weather Watch, Stephen Davenport, senior meteorologist talks us through what we can expect from the weather as we move into autumn.

A look back at October’s weather

October started chilly, but mild and wet weather soon took over, with some heavy rain through the first week. A lot of this was associated with the remnants of Hurricane Lorenzo, but as the cold front hit the previous warm weather it brought with it some of the highest rainfall amounts across the northern and eastern UK at the end of the week, when Quidnish on the Isle of Harris recorded 60mm of rain. Unsettled and mild conditions continued through much of the second week of the month, with bouts of rain and strong winds interspersed with blustery showers, some of these heavy with a few thunderstorms in southern counties of England.

A transitory high pressure ridge made the 12^th and 13^th drier but rain returned for the 14^th and 15^th, and periodically through to the 17^th, although the north was more often showery. The 18^th had hefty showers scattered right across the country, ahead of a few drier days with ground frosts in much of Scotland and fog patches elsewhere.

Another milder period then developed as further low pressure systems pushed across. Rain and some heavy showers moved through on the 24^th with a few lightning strikes. The night became a bit cold with ground frosts for Scotland but milder air and more rain, some of it heavy, moved in across England and Wales for the 25^th and 26^th accompanied by strong winds in the south and southwest. Northern Ireland and Scotland had showery outbreaks and strong gusty winds, and showers turned wintry over NW Scotland.

The end of the month was drier and a bit colder, especially for Scotland and northern where there were ground frosts. A few showers were scattered around, mainly over northern Scotland and eastern coasts, and bands of rain edged into southwest England.

A look ahead to November

November looks like having a switchback of temperatures and precipitation. It will start off very wet and windy with gales or severe gales for the southwest and far south on the 1^st as a vigorous low pressure system comes across. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are possible, especially across Wales and the southern half of England. Winds will lessen through the following days but there will be further periods of rain or scattered sharp showers with isolated thunderstorm risks.

As low pressure moves away south-eastwards it will pull in somewhat colder and drier air from the north and northeast but another low pressure system around the 6^th/7^th should bring wet and milder weather back. However, by the middle of the month it looks like low pressure systems will start to push more towards central Europe, making drier and colder conditions more likely again, with overnight frosts and fog quite likely. However, there is a chance that frontal systems will pass near Scotland from time to time.

The end of the month, from somewhere around the third week of the month, should see high pressure declining to allow a reinvigoration of the Atlantic low pressure track towards the UK. Although there is a chance that high pressure will hold on for longer, it seems more probable that the month will end as it starts, with milder and periodically wet and windy weather.

In the event of an unexpected power cut you can contact Electricity North West 24/7 on the free national number 105 or call 0800 195 4141 or let us know on Twitter or Facebook.

If you need extra support, sign-up to our Priority Services Register. To discover more about the extra support on offer watch our Priority Service video here.