Two storms to hit Britain with 'hurricane strength' winds

Britain has only just felt the effects of Storm Jonas, but weather forecaster warn there are two big storms set to hit the UK.

The first will track past the north of Scotland on Friday and the second will pass over the north of Scotland on Monday to early Tuesday.

See also: Storm Jonas: Pilot forced to abort landing at Manchester Airport

See also: Storm Jonas: Family tries to leave house, meets wall of snow with door imprint

Winds could "hurricane strength" off the coast, bringing 120mph gusts over the top of the Scottish Highlands and 80mph winds to northern England.

Forecasters are warning of "hazardous driving conditions, bridge closures and ferry cancellations," with "trees likely to be blown over and possible structural damage".

Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, told Aol Travel: "The winds will steadily increase today (Thursday) over the north and west. Severe gales will develop over the northern half of the UK by early morning on Friday, and then as the low pressure centre tracks past northern Scotland we can expect storm force winds over the north coast of Scotland and Orkney and later Shetland. Gales are also likely across western Wales, Northern Ireland and Northern England and strong gusts across central England, too.


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"Peak gusts at lower levels across the north of Scotland and northern Isles are likely to be around 90mph by midday. However, we may also see gusts reach 70mph to 80mph in the morning around coasts and over exposed parts of Wales, Northern Ireland and north England. The highest gusts in northern England over and to the lee of the Pennines could reaching 80mph. Over the tops of the highlands in Scotland 120mph gusts are likely and over 100mph for the tops of the Pennines.

"The wind speed over the sea to the north of Scotland tomorrow may approach hurricane strength. Mean speeds for a time will approach 75mph. Of course it is not a hurricane, just the wind speed clarification.

"The storm will also bring some heavy rain to Scotland with 40mm to 60mm over the west which will bring an added flood risk, although through the day the rain will clear to frequent showers and these will give blizzards over the higher mountains through the day and to lower levels on Friday night in Scotland.

"The gales will only slowly ease across the north on Friday afternoon and evening, and it will stay very windy over the north of Scotland."

Looking ahead to the weekend, Leon said: "The south will have a bright and quite sunny day on Saturday, but feeling a lot colder. There'll be a lot of wintry showers further north with hail, sleet and snow. Snow down to valley levels in Scotland and still strong to near gale westerly winds.

"Sunday will turna a lot milder over the south west as a warm front edges eastwards giving outbreaks of rain. More snow over the higher ground in Scotland on Sunday afternoon and evening while the south becomes drier and milder but stays cloudy."

However, next week brings another storm. Leon added: "Then on Monday the next deep Atlantic depression will move past and over the far north of Scotland to the northern North Sea.

"Severe gales and storm force winds will develop across northern Britain, and again damaging gusts to over 80mph.

"It will be very windy across the whole of the UK so expect hazardous driving conditions, bridge closures and ferry cancellations. Trees are likely to be blown over and there could be some structural damage. The high winds will last through Monday to early Tuesday and gradually veering around from the west to the north west.

" It will turn a lot colder across the UK during Monday to Tuesday next week, although there'll be plenty of sunshine in the south.

"There could be snow showers over the north with widespread frosts developing by the middle of next week as the winds drop out."

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