Light is on the horizon after bullying by Erik
STORM Erik has been a blustery, unwelcome visitor to our shores these past few days, bringing lashings of rain, with wind speeds of up to 70mph in Northern Ireland and the threat of flooding in the north of Scotland. The name Erik conjures up memories of school-day lessons about Vikings, but this weather invader has come not from Scandinavia, but instead from the west and Ireland, where Met Éireann gave it its name.
By this morning, the bully should have left us alone, with heavy showers being a small but marked improvement on the downpours of yesterday. The wind will still be present, but insufficient to make our windows rattle. There could be some snow on high ground in the far north and perhaps even in upland areas of Northern Ireland, but elsewhere it should be milder.
Southern England and South Wales will see some sunny spells, but as the wind direction changes and it blows in from the north, the mercury will fall. Expect no more than 44F (7C) in London, Plymouth and Cardiff, with 41F (5C) everywhere else except Aberdeen where it is down at 39F (4C).
Not much to cheer about, then, in the weekend weather, but as the working week gets going at least the mornings are getting lighter. And, even if those northerly winds will continue to bite, it is also getting drier and warmer, back to seasonal averages, though in February that is very modest.
There is a speck of hope on the horizon, though. High pressure should build towards the end of the week, bringing more settled conditions, dry, sunny days, but cold nights, with frost and mist when we wake.