Battle of Britain’s weather systems divides country
IT IS a story of competing forces for our weather in the week ahead. Those warm breezes from the South, generated by high pressure, that have made it the hottest September for five years will continue to blow our way.
But they face increased competition from the Atlantic lows out to the West, which have mixed in to their low-pressure systems the remnants of Hurricane Hermine. It brought chaos to the eastern seaboard of the United States, and some of its moisture will be deposited over the UK today.
Quite how much, for how long and where is confounding forecasters. There are two main scenarios. It may make land to the north and north west, causing heavy rain and winds over Northern Ireland and much of Scotland. Or it may stay out to the south west, bringing showers.
Today, the best weather will be in the South and East, with temperatures around a pleasant 70F (21C) but as low as 61F (16C) in Belfast and Glasgow.
Then, as the high pressure from the south moves back in to reclaim its influence over us, the week ahead will see a familiar split, with southern and eastern parts of the UK enjoying temperatures as high as 81F (27C) by Tuesday, but the North and West having a cooler, more autumnal feel, with 63F (17C) in Glasgow.
And if you are worrying that you will soon be feeling the changing seasons “in your bones”, think again. A survey reported at the British Science Festival in Swansea, based on participants recording pain in their joints on an app, suggests not just a link with colder days, but also with warmer weather from April to June. Cold comfort, then, whether the mercury is high or low.