Residents in Macclesfield should prepare for wet and windy conditions this Easter weekend as the Met Office warns of an unsettled spell arriving across North West England. The period from Saturday 4 April to Monday 6 April 2026 is expected to bring heavy rain and strong gusts, with the town situated on the edge of a high-risk weather zone that may see increased wind speeds due to the nearby Peak District.
Saturday 4 April is set to be the most challenging day of the holiday, with forecasters predicting maximum wind gusts of up to 42mph and up to a 50 percent chance of rain at times during the day. While Sunday 5 April will see some sunny intervals, temperatures are expected to stay low, ranging between 2°C and 10°C, and feeling as cold as 0°C during the morning hours. This unsettled weather pattern is expected to continue through to mid-April, according to the national weather service.
The arrival of this weather arrives as millions of people prepare to travel for the bank holiday. According to research by the RAC and traffic analytics specialists, approximately 21 million leisure journeys are planned across the country between Thursday 2 April and Monday 6 April. To help ease congestion on major routes, National Highways has confirmed that it will lift approximately 1,500 miles of roadworks from motorways and major A roads in England during this period.
Local authorities have previously noted that Macclesfield is identified as a local flood risk area, with approximately 1,800 residents at risk in a worst-case flooding scenario. As ground conditions remain saturated from a long winter, residents are encouraged to monitor local updates and allow extra time for travel, particularly on exposed routes where winds may be stronger. While Thursday 2 April will start with patchy frost and some sunshine, the weather is expected to turn noticeably more unsettled starting Friday 3 April.
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