Storm Brian...? Just wait for Caroline, Dylan, Eleanor, Fionn, Georgina, Hector, Iona, James, Karen, Larry and Maeve!
‘We expect an active storm period until January’
SCOTLAND is forecast to bear the brunt as Britain is battered by another 11 named storms this autumn and winter.
Weathermen are forecasting wind gusts pushing 120mph and repeated travel mayhem, plus the potential for flooding, as the country is hit by twice as many storms as last year.
Storm Brian, the first named storm to hit Britain in October, struck England and Wales yesterday with 80mph gusts and high seas. But commercial forecaster AccuWeather believes the worst is yet to come. The Met Office, which also predicted stormy conditions for the country in its latest long-term forecast, names Atlantic storms when they carry the risk of an amber warning for either wind, rain or snow.
After Storm Aileen, which hit last month, and Brian, the next 11 named storms would be Caroline, Dylan, Eleanor, Fionn, Georgina, Hector, Iona, James, Karen, Larry and Maeve.
AccuWeather forecaster Tyler Roys said: ‘We expect an active storm period until January, with further storms until April. Many storm centres are forecast to pass just north of the UK, with a battering of rain in Scotland each time they pass through. Many places will see 50-80mph gusts, with some coasts seeing gusts up to 100mph, and we may see well over 100mph on higher ground, especially in Scotland.
‘Travel disruption to roads and rail networks from fallen trees and rain flooding and coastal flooding is expected, with power lines also coming down.’ AccuWeather made its predictions after studying data for winters with similarly strong jet stream winds during the past 70 years, dating back to WWII.
A Met Office forecaster said: ‘Next weekend, a more unsettled theme seems likely, with strong winds in the North-West. In November, northern areas look most likely to see further wind and rain at times.’
Leon Brown, head of meteorological operations at The Weather Company, said: ‘A strong jet stream is forecast to see deep Atlantic depressions passing near the north of the UK.’