UK weather: Met Office issues THREE yellow warnings as ‘remnants’ of hurricane to bring with 100mm of rain & 60mph winds
THE Met Office has issued three yellow weather warnings as a hurricane is set to spark heavy rain and wind in the coming days.
The “remnants” of Hurricane Ernesto are set to batter the parts of the UK in the week ahead, bringing heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 60mph, the Met Office has warned.
Ernesto ripped through the North Atlantic this week, with maximum winds of 85mph leaving hundreds of thousands of people in Puerto Rico and Bermuda without power.
Rain is expected in the UK from Monday, with Ernesto – now weakened to a tropical storm – set to hit on Wednesday with further downpours and strong winds that will mainly affect Scotland, the Met Office said.
Forecasters have issued three yellow weather warnings for rain in Scotland, with up to 150mm expected to fall within a 24-hour period in the worst-affected areas
The warnings cover south-west Scotland and the Lothian borders region on Monday afternoon and evening, and north-east Scotland – including the Highlands, Strathclyde and Central, Tayside and Fife – for most of Wednesday and Thursday.
The rain will be accompanied by strong south-westerly winds, with gusts reaching 50-60mph possible on the coast and around the islands.
The Met Office said there could be delays to public transport, spray and flooding on roads, as well as potential power cuts and flooding in homes and businesses.
There is also a small chance that the spring tide will generate large waves that could result in injuries and a danger to life in coastal areas on Wednesday and Thursday, the weather service added.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: “Ernesto, at the moment, is still out on the other side of the Atlantic as a tropical storm.
“As we go through the next couple of days, it kind of weakens as it moves into cooler waters and gets absorbed into a more typical area of low pressure, which we kind of get quite often.”
He continued: “Because the tropical systems just have so much warmth and a lot of moisture in them, remnants of the warmth and remnants of the moisture will be still there in that weather system on Wednesday and Thursday, so it will enhance the rainfall.”
Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Wet and windy weather is not “unusual” for August, Mr Snell added.
Elsewhere in the UK, the forecast looks “quite unsettled” and it will be a cooler week for many after a high of 34.8C in Cambridge was recorded on August 12, he said.
The south and south-east of England are expected to enjoy the best of the drier weather next week with some warmer spells and highs of around 26C in East Anglia, Mr Snell said.
He said it was a “little too early” to predict the outlook for the upcoming bank holiday weekend.
Tomorrow is expected to start bright for many, but rain is forecast for the northern and western parts of the UK.
Most places in the UK should expect to see rain towards the end of the day.
Those in the south-east of England will enjoy the driest conditions with heavy rain expected in parts of southwest Scotland, where a yellow warning will be in place from 2pm until the end of the day.
Unlike the oncoming predicted weather, today will be mostly dry with sunny spells for most.
There is a chance of a few showers in the north, particularly across Scotland where it will also be breezy.
Met Office forecast in full
Today
Dry for many with sunny spells interspersed between cloudier periods.
The chance of a few showers in the north, primarily across Scotland where it will also be breezy.
Temperatures generally around average for the time of year
Tonight
Remaining dry with clear spells in the east.
Cloud increasing elsewhere with outbreaks of rain and drizzle developing in the northwest during the evening, then southwest later in the night.
Monday
Rain steadily spreads into the west and north, heavy and persistent across hills.
Strong winds developing, particularly around coasts of the Irish Sea.
Staying largely dry in southeast England.
Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday
Cloud and rain clears eastwards on Tuesday with sunny spells and showers following.
Drier in the southeast from mid-week, but still wet and windy in the northwest.