Winds of change all but spent as Ellen passes by
Strong winds are not part of the traditional British summer experience, but as rising temperatures cause patterns to change around the world they may be something to factor in when making future staycation plans.
The cause of gusts of up to 80mph in coastal areas these past few days has been Storm Ellen, heading our way full of fury from the Atlantic. Coupled with low pressure and high tides, it has made for a miserable start to the weekend for many.
Today, though, there will be a little respite. The angry winds are all but spent, and in their place is a more benign airflow from the north-west. The rain, though, will still be around, in Scotland and Northern Ireland, moving into northern England as the day progresses. In places north and west, it will be cool, cloudy and wet.
Southwards and eastwards there is more prospect of sunshine and warmth, although showers will always be a threat. The south-east corner of England does best, at 21C (70F), with East Anglia not far behind at 20C (68F), and Cornwall, Devon and South Wales at 19C (66F). Further north, it is a pretty standard 17C (63F) anywhere from Liverpool over to Belfast and into the central belt of Scotland, but in the far north, just 14C (57F).
The build-up to the August bank holiday weekend starts unpromisingly, with the UK directly in the path of a vigorous jet stream, the dominant air currents in the high atmosphere that blow west to east across the Atlantic. And that will mean more low pressure, more rain and lower temperatures. But as the week wears on there is the prospect – as yet no guarantees – of higher pressure pushing its way in to bring warmer air, more settled conditions and the promise of better times on our beaches. They will, however, get nowhere near what is thought to be the Earth’s highest ever recorded temperature – 54.4C (130F) – seen last week in the Death Valley National Park that straddles California and Nevada.