Britain is bracing for a battering of strong winds and torrential rain as the remnants of US tropical storm Wanda makes its way across the Atlantic.
The Met Office has issued flood warnings for England, Scotland and Wales and warned of strong gales across northern and eastern parts of the country as the tropical storm heads towards the UK.
Today forecasters confirmed the yellow warning for wind in place for northern Scotland, including Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian and the Highlands, would remain until 5pm.
It comes after west to northwesterly gales reached 80mph and coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities, including in and around Aberdeen, were battered by spray as the strong winds spread eastwards last night.
Temperatures are also expected to drop as low as -6C (21.2F) by the end of next week in parts of Britain during a deep freeze.
Forecasters said: ‘Strengthening west to north westerly winds will bring gusts of 60-70mph perhaps locally 80mph, to exposed locations of northern Scotland.
The weather for Sunday will be windy, especially across northern and eastern Scotland where severe gales and gusts are expected
Weather in the South is expected to be breezy with some cloud this weekend. Pictured: A cyclist makes his way down a country and at first light in Dunsden, Oxfordshire
‘These winds initially across the Western Isles and north west mainland Scotland on Saturday evening, spreading to the north east mainland and Orkney overnight and Sunday morning.
Met Office Meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth told MailOnline: ‘Wanda has been sat to the west of the azores since the end of October, making little progress in any direction.
‘Over the next 24 hours or so it is expected to move northeast towards the UK, but, it will lose its identity as a low pressure system and therefore no major effects are expected in the UK from storm Wanda.’
She added: ‘What Wanda will do is inject some moisture into a front that will move across the UK on Monday.
‘The front will bring some persistent rainfall across north-western parts of the UK throughout Monday and some light rain at times further south throughout Tuesday.
‘With the driest weather in the southeast. No weather warnings are in force for the new week.’
Forecasters have said Sunday will be windy, especially across northern and eastern Scotland where gales or severe gales and high gusts expected.
Many areas will be dry with sunny spells, but some showers are likely in the north and west and the Midlands
As for Monday, things will be bright at first in the south and east, then turning cloudier later but remaining mainly dry. It is expected to be cloudier and windier in the north and west with rain at times, especially in the evening.
Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern said: ‘There will be a bright start to the new week, but an area of cloud, wind and rain will move in from the west. There is some uncertainty because it is associated with an area of low pressure that is moving towards Iceland.’
The uncertainty is linked back to Tropical Storm Wanda, Wales Online reports.
Mr McGivern added: ‘There is the possibility that Wanda will be picked up by the jet stream, and if the energy created by Wanda interacts with the jet stream in a certain way the jet stream will become more amplified.
‘There is also a developing area of low pressure near Florida that is moving north. Essentially, what we have got is a tropical storm and another area of low pressure, and the jet stream all interacting in a complex way during the next few days.
‘Those interactions will determine how ‘wavy’ the jet stream is by the end of the weekend. If the jet stream is particularly amplified, the lows will move around slower. If it is flatter the lows will move around quicker.
‘The uncertainty is really about timings. By the start of next week, no matter what time that low moves in, it will move to the north west of the UK sending rain to the north west, but the weather fronts will weaken as they move south.’
The sun illuminates a housing estate dotted with autumnal trees in the St Annes area of east Bristol today as storm Wanda makes its way towards the UK
A map from the US National Hurricane Centre, shows the storm is travelling towards Britain. The tropical storm Wanda was named by the National Hurricane centre, who use a similar naming convention to UK with regard to naming storms
Forecasters said strong winds will continue for northern and eastern Scotland and scattered showers will be seen across the north and west
According to the Met Office Storm Wanda ‘will bring some persistent rainfall across north-western parts of the UK throughout Monday and some light rain at times further south throughout Tuesday’
For Tuesday, November 9 to Thursday, November 18, the Met Office forecast says: ‘Areas of low pressure lying to the north or northwest of the UK will bring changeable autumnal conditions at the start of the period, with active rain bands travelling across the UK, followed by showers and drier interludes, with occasional strong winds.
‘Likely to be wettest with stronger winds in the northwest, whereas the driest and brightest weather is likely to be in the southeast where rain bands will often be weak.
‘There is an increased chance of wintry showers from the north and northwest towards the end of the period, initially over higher ground but also a risk they will occur at lower levels.
‘Temperatures generally around average throughout this period, although milder interludes more prevalent at first, and colder interludes increasing possibly later on.’
Yesterday west to northwesterly gales reached 80mph in the more remote areas and coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities, including in and around Aberdeen, were affected by spray and large waves as the winds spread eastwards.
The past few days have brought sub-zero temperatures of -1.7C (28.9F) at Bridgefoot in Cumbria, -2.5C (27.5F) at Hurn in Hampshire, and -1.8C (28.8F) at Benson in Oxfordshire.
And below-average temperatures observed this week are likely to continue well into this month, with Met Office forecasters expecting that high pressure near Greenland will help to push colder air from the North towards the UK.
In the Met Office’s outlook for the first half of November, it says: ‘Blustery showers are possible in the far east and northeast at the start of the period, but these quickly clearing. Otherwise, plenty of fine, dry weather with long spells of sunshine.
‘Feeling colder initially, with frosts possible, especially in the north. Rain and thicker cloud will then steadily encroach from the west. Areas of low pressure lying to the north or northwest of the UK will then bring unsettled conditions, predominantly affecting the north and west, with some heavy rain and strong winds followed by cooler, more showery interludes.
‘The driest and brightest weather is likely to be in the southeast where rain bands will often be weak. Temperatures generally around average thorough this period, although brief cold spells possible.’
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