WHOLE OF UK AT RISK FROM 3 DAYS OF STORMS
STORMS will batter Britain through this week as officials ramp up warnings for freezing gales, heavy wintry showers and dangerous conditions.
A powerful “weather bomb” will unleash 80mph winds as temperatures plunge, bringing eight inches of snow to parts.
Violent Atlantic systems lined up to smash the UK could give rise to two major storms – Fionn and Georgina – before the weekend.
While the Met Office has not yet issued any storm warnings its experts are “keeping an eye” on the worsening situation. A near- nationwide weather alert warns winds tomorrow night will be strong enough to damage buildings with flying debris, threatening “danger to life”.
Stormy conditions will clash with Polar air poised to engulf the nation. Floods, gales, snow, sleet and hail will bring hazardous travel conditions and could knock out power supplies and mobile phone networks.
Plummet
Temperatures will plummet to - 6C ( 21F) overnight in parts with daytime highs struggling to rise above single figures. Winds will pick up across the South tonight before a more brutal and widespread attack tomorrow.
A powerful storm system will strengthen through what is called “explosive cyclogenesis” as it unleashes the violent weather bomb.
The term is used when the central pressure of a storm drops by more than 24 millibars in 24 hours.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: “Stormy conditions will bring strong winds and showers this week with a change to a Polar airflow signalling colder conditions.
“The first system will affect the Southwest on Tuesday night before a deep area of low pressure brings further unsettled weather on Wednesday night. Wednesday’s low will deepen rapidly by explosive cyclogenesis bringing gales and gusts of 60 to 70mph across northern England and Wales with 80mph gusts possible in exposed spots.”
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for snow and ice across Scotland and northern England over the next two days. A separate alert for strong winds is in place across the whole of England from Wednesday evening and through Thursday morning.
Met Office chief forecaster Frank Saunders said up to eight inches of snow could fall over high ground with four inches possible at lower levels.