80MPH STORMS TO HIT BRITAIN

Get ready there’s another icy blast of winter on way

BRITAIN is back on winter storm alert with 80mph gales, torrential downpours and snow forecast.

Parts of the country are braced for floods with up to four inches of rain expected in a matter of hours tomorrow.

A lurking Arctic front is poised to sweep across the UK, plunging temperatures below freezing by the end of the week.

Strong winds at the weekend will coincide with high spring tides to put coastal regions at risk of flooding.

The Met Office warned that up to an inch of snow could settle over northern hills and freezing overnight temperatures would bring widespread harsh frosts. Spokeswoman Nicky Maxey said: “Temperatures are going to dip below freezing in most places.”

Piers Corbyn, forecaster for WeatherAction, said gusts could hit 80mph in exposed regions

over the next week. He said: “These storms are again the result of the wildly fluctuating jet stream and we could certainly see gusts of up to 80mph in some parts.

“The jet stream will be the trigger for a very unsettled picture into spring.

“There will be huge variations in temperature, bouncing from mild to very cold and we could even see a repeat of 2012, which saw bitter conditions last into April.”

Britain has been beset with chaotic weather over the past few months, with violent Atlantic storms followed by the recent big freeze.

Temperatures are expected to hover around a mild 11C ( 52F) tomorrow before nosediving. By the weekend bitter winds will plunge overnight temperatures in the North to around - 5C while the South will remain around freezing.

Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel UK, said: “Next week looks a bit colder and very unsettled with fast- moving weather systems and a risk of gales at times.” Ms Maxey, at the Met Office, added: “We have particularly high spring tides at the weekend, peaking on Saturday. If there are strong winds this could be an issue.”

The Environment Agency last night issued two flood alerts as “a precaution” in the Midlands, where the Upper Avon and River Leam are already starting to rise.

Weather charts show a series of deepening low pressure systems in the Atlantic gearing up to sweep across the country. Exacta Weather’s James Madden said cold Arctic winds will bring the risk of snow and even blizzards across the North next week.

He said: “The jet stream will shift much further south towards this weekend.

“This will bring in much colder conditions, which will result in some widespread and significant snowfall.

“Into the start of next week there is the risk for widespread snow and potential blizzards to develop across parts of the North.

“Some of this wintry weather is likely to spread as far south as central England.”