'Storm Emily' to hit Britain with 90mph winds

Updated

Bad weather conditions and fog have been causing chaos at Britain's airports and on roads this week, but the weather could be about to get worse - as a new storm with 90mph winds threatens to hit.

According to the Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, there is a high risk of gales over the UK from 19 December.

If the storm hits between 18 and 20 December, it will be called Storm Emily, after Emily Brontë who died on 19th December 1848, said Leon.

He told Aol Travel: "From Thursday 19 December to Christmas there is a high risk of gales over the UK. At the moment there is a 30 to 40% risk of severe gales for central and southern Britain on Thursday 19 as a deep area of low pressure tracks east across Ireland to Scotland.

"Worst case is 70 to 90mph gusts across exposed parts of Wales and the south, but even 70mph gusts for central Britain, which would cause a lot of disruption. The timing and track of this storm could yet change though so we will keep updates running. Since this storm has the potential to effect a large part of the UK population, and if it is between 18 and 20 December, we will call it Emily, after Emily Brontë who died on 19th December 1848. If later, we will name it differently. It may be that it keeps a little further north, or the main storm is a few days later next week."

In the lead up until then, the weather will become more unsettled, said Leon.

"The large area of high pressure that is covering much of central and southern Europe will gradually move a little further south and east from today as the jet stream begins to take a slightly more southerly track over the eastern Atlantic. This will bring progressively windier and more unsettled weather to the UK, but the recent fog and poor visibility will be swept away. With winds mainly from the south to south west, temperatures will remain above average and typically 2C to 3C above normal until early next week, then dropping to around 1C above normal from the middle of next week.

"A band of rain will move east across the UK on Friday with clearer skies following to the west. The rain not reaching the SE though until evening

"Dry and bright in the south on Saturday but becoming wet and windy over the north. Gales and local severe gales for a time in north west Scotland. Gusts of 60 to 70mph at lower levels around the Hebrides and north west of the Scottish mainland coasts in the afternoon may cause some travel disruption. A flood risk too for Scotland with 20 to 30mm over the western Highlands during the day. Rain for southern Britain Saturday night, but lighter by the time it reaches the Midlands and south.

"Northern Britain starting bright on Sunday while the south has a cloudy and damp day with some light rain. Everywhere windy Sunday afternoon to evening with some rain, but severe gales are possible again for north west Scotland. We may see 70 to 80mph gusts across northern Scotland in the evening and showers turning to snow over the Highlands with blizzard conditions for the mountains

"Next week more rain will spread across the south on Monday while the north is brighter and colder with snow showers over the Highlands, but Tuesday may be a fine and dry day with some sunshine - a brief interlude before more wet and windy weather sweeps east next Wednesday."



Related articles

BA passengers stuck on plane for 7 hours after fog forces Kent airport diversion

Coldest ever temp on Earth recorded by scientists in Antarctica

Advertisement