Kendal is set for a distinctly autumnal spell of weather, with heavy rain and cloudy skies expected today before a temporary improvement on Thursday. The latest forecast gives the town a 93 per cent chance of rain, with temperatures reaching 16°C.

The unsettled conditions are part of a wider five-day pattern affecting Cumbria. Rain is expected across the county today, followed by a drier Thursday daytime. That pause will be short-lived, however, as wet weather is forecast to return overnight. Friday is expected to be cooler and showery, before Saturday brings the most settled conditions of the period.

Kendal forecast for the next five days

  • Today: Wet and cloudy in Kendal, with a 93 per cent chance of rain and a high of 16°C.
  • Thursday: The daytime is expected to stay dry, with temperatures reaching 17°C, but heavy rain is forecast to return at night.
  • Friday: Showers are forecast in Kendal as temperatures across the county fall back to around 14°C to 15°C.
  • Saturday: Mostly dry conditions are expected, with brighter intervals and temperatures close to 16°C.
  • Sunday: The wider county is forecast to become blustery and unsettled, with scattered showers and gusty winds on exposed coasts.

Heavy rain expected across Cumbria today

The forecast describes today as a county-wide washout, with widespread heavy rain, overcast skies and peak temperatures of between 14°C and 16°C. Rain chances are expected to reach 95 per cent across most areas.

Kendal's forecast is slightly below that wider county figure, at 93 per cent, but the town is still expected to experience a wet and cloudy day. The temperature is forecast to reach 16°C before conditions change later in the week.

Elsewhere, Carlisle and coastal parts of West Cumbria are also expected to reach 16°C today. Higher ground around Alston is forecast to reach 14°C, followed by a much colder overnight low of 3°C. The contrasts reflect the range of landscapes across Cumbria during the unsettled spell.

Thursday brings a brief daytime break

Thursday is expected to provide the clearest short-term break from the rain in Kendal. The forecast indicates a dry daytime, although skies are expected to remain cloudy. Temperatures could reach 17°C, making it the mildest day in Kendal's specific outlook.

The improvement is not expected to continue into the night. Heavy rain is forecast to return overnight, while the wider county outlook gives precipitation chances of up to 90 per cent. Other parts of Cumbria are expected to follow a similar pattern, with a dry or mainly dry daytime followed by renewed rain after dark.

In the town-by-town forecast, Sedbergh is expected to reach 17°C on Thursday before an 88 per cent chance of overnight rain. Grange-over-Sands is also forecast to reach 17°C during a dry daytime, followed by overnight showers. Ulverston is expected to have a similar daytime high, with heavy rain moving in overnight.

Cooler and showery conditions on Friday

Friday is forecast to feel cooler across the county, with highs generally between 14°C and 15°C. Kendal is expected to see showers, while the heaviest rain is forecast across West Cumbria and South Cumbria. In the wettest parts of the county, rain chances could reach 84 per cent.

The outlook varies considerably from place to place. Ambleside is forecast to face an 84 per cent chance of rain, while Windermere is expected to see showers after an 82 per cent chance of overnight rain. Sedbergh has an 83 per cent chance of rain, and Appleby is also expected to remain showery.

There is a sharper contrast between southern coastal areas and the north. Barrow is forecast to have an 84 per cent chance of downpours, while Wigton has a 50 per cent chance of a shower. Penrith is also forecast to have a 54 per cent chance of rain on Friday.

Saturday offers the best conditions of the week

Saturday is described as the pick of the week. The county is expected to stay largely dry, with sunny intervals breaking through the cloud, peak temperatures near 16°C and rain chances falling to between 10 and 30 per cent.

The town-by-town outlook points to a similar improvement around Kendal and the wider South Lakes. Ambleside is forecast to have a crisp, largely dry Saturday with sunny intervals, while Windermere is expected to clear to mostly dry conditions with sunny spells. Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston and Sedbergh are also forecast to become drier and brighter.

Other areas should see the same broad change. Carlisle, Cockermouth, Keswick, Maryport, Penrith and Wigton are all forecast to move into a drier Saturday after varying levels of rain or showers earlier in the week.

Wind and showers return on Sunday

The improvement is not expected to last throughout the weekend. Sunday is forecast to be blustery and unsettled, with gusty winds along exposed coasts, scattered showers and temperatures reaching about 16°C. The wider outlook gives rain chances of between 35 and 55 per cent.

The forecast was published by Cumbria Crack News and is identified as having been generated using AI and powered by Met Office data. It uses relative terms including “today”, “Thursday”, “Friday”, “Saturday” and “Sunday”, rather than calendar dates.