Residents across Greater Manchester and the wider North West region experienced a largely cloudy and grey Saturday, October 18, with isolated light showers. Despite the overcast conditions, the Met Office forecast offered glimpses of brighter skies, even predicting "hazy sunny spells for a time." Temperatures for the day were noted to be slightly warmer than the preceding Friday, with maximums reaching between 13C and 14C. In more coastal areas of the North West, winds were expected to gradually pick up throughout the day.

As Saturday evening progressed, the weather was set to transition. The early part of the evening was largely dry, but showery outbreaks of rain were anticipated later. According to the latest Met Office weather maps, a significant "wall of rain" was observed hitting parts of Wales and Northern Ireland, projected to continue its North-Eastward trajectory and reach Greater Manchester around 9pm. Overnight, the North West was expected to become increasingly wet and windy, with heavier rain particularly in the early hours, and minimum temperatures dropping to around 8C.

Looking ahead to Sunday, the forecast indicated a continuation of cloudy and rather windy conditions through the morning, accompanied by periods of heavy rain in various locations, with some predictions suggesting rain falling on-and-off from around 12pm until at least 7pm. However, an improvement was expected later in the day, with winds likely easing through the afternoon and the rain gradually tapering off by the evening. Maximum temperatures for Sunday were predicted to be around 14C to 15C.

The outlook for the early part of the upcoming week suggests a changeable weather pattern. Monday is forecast to bring sunshine interspersed with heavy showers. Tuesday is expected to be drier, with a reduction in the number of showers. By Wednesday, the weather will remain changeable, with a chance of rain developing later in the day. Throughout this period, conditions will often be breezy, and temperatures are anticipated to remain around the seasonal average for the North West.