Now storms Eleanor and Fionn threaten to spark flood chaos
A BARRAGE of ferocious storms will unleash damaging gales, torrential rain and floods across Britain this week.
Storm Dylan hampered New Year preparations in parts of the country last night – including 80mph winds in Edinburgh – amid warnings of more severe weather over the coming days.
Violent winds and torrential downpours will tear in from the Atlantic with further storm systems likely. Storms Eleanor and Fionn are set to follow Dylan with the Met Office last night warning: “Watch this space”.
Nowhere will escape the fury of the weather with 70mph gales set to clash with high tides hurling huge waves over flood defences.
Downpours on saturated ground yesterday prompted the Environment Agency to issue 58 flood alerts across much of England with two flood warnings in central and south-western regions.
The Met Office warned Britons to expect a “very unsettled week” with strong winds and rain targeting all parts of the country.
Temperatures will hover around average although another Arctic blast is poised to hit next weekend.
Met Office forecaster Steven Keates said: “It is a very unsettled week ahead with spells of strong wind and rain affecting most parts of the UK.
Clash
“A succession of low-pressure systems will come in from the Atlantic bringing gales which will clash with high tides, this could bring some issues.
“With heavy rain falling on already saturated ground this is also something we will be keeping an eye on.
“There is the potential for gusts of 60 to 70mph quite widely at times. Although there has been no storm name issued, if these ramp up at all it will be a case of watch this space.” Parts of the country were hit yesterday as Dylan swept across Scotland and northern England.
Gales touched 86mph over the Tay Road Bridge in Scotland while gusts of between 50 and 60mph were recorded widely.
Britain will catch the tail end of Storm Carmen, due to hit northern France today, bringing heavy rain to the South.
Strong winds will unleash a 24-hour assault across the UK late tomorrow and into Wednesday, experts warn.
Further powerful gales will batter Britain through Thursday and into the weekend before a freezing blast roars in from the Arctic.
Mr Keates said: “Monday will be breezy with showers around and some of these could be wintry over high ground in the North.
“France has named Storm Carmen as a system which will bring wet and windy weather on Monday. The UK will catch the edge of this bringing some rain to the South. It is a near miss.
“On Tuesday another system comes in from the Atlantic and this will bring stronger winds and squally showers which will be quite widespread for about 24 hours.
“The South will see the strongest winds on Wednesday before another system comes in on Thursday bringing wet and windy weather to most parts of the country.
“Next week we are expecting a big change in the weather. It is looking like turning much colder as we get a push from the north.”
Dave Reynolds, forecaster for The Weather Channel, agreed Britain should batten down the hatches. Rain and snow will dampen spirits in parts today before stormy conditions ramp up through the week, he added.
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “An even more severe cold and snowy spell awaits us from Friday.”