Greater Manchester escapes heavy rain down south as Met Office predicts dry weekend

Greater Manchester is set to avoid heavy rain further south, with the Met Office forecasting a largely dry weekend. Despite a chilly start to Saturday, it remained dry with sunny spells across the region - a pattern that looks set to continue for the next few days.

The Met Office said said it would remain 'largely dry' across the north west today and, although some rain was forecast early on Sunday, it was expected to be 'brighter later'.

For the rest of Saturday, isolated showers were possible and it would still feel cool across the north west with a temperatures struggling to top 12C, according to the Met Office.

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Saturday evening was forecast to be dry with clear spells although some rain is possible later. This rain was mainly expected over the Pennines and further south rather than in Greater Manchester, said forecasters.

It was expected to turn 'breezier' during the evening with temperatures not expected to fall below 3C.

On Sunday, forecasters said it could be a wet start, but again this was expected over the Pennines rather than in Greater Manchester. The Met Office said it would be 'turning drier through the morning and thereafter a dry day with sunny spells developing during the afternoon'.

Despite the relatively dry weather, the forecasters said temperatures would struggle to top 11C. The pattern of mostly dry weather with sunny spells looks set to continue until Wednesday at least, according to forecasters.

It's a different picture further south where large rain clouds are looming, with sometimes heavy outbreaks of rain forecast to push northwards.