The United Kingdom is preparing for another bout of wintry weather, with forecasters warning of a return to freezing temperatures and potential snow as the nation recovers from the devastation of Storm Goretti.
Aftermath of a 'Multi-Hazard' Storm
The country is still assessing the damage from Storm Goretti, which the Met Office labelled a 'multi-hazard event'. It battered parts of the UK with wind gusts of up to 100mph, prompting a rare red warning for 'dangerous, stormy' winds in the south-west.
The severe conditions led to widespread disruption: flights were cancelled, train services were severely impacted, and hundreds of schools were forced to close. In a tragic incident, police confirmed a man in his 50s was found dead in a caravan in Helston, Cornwall, after a tree fell onto the vehicle. The storm's fury was evident as thousands of trees were torn from the ground, prompting officials to call for lessons to be learned to improve future preparedness.
The Forecast: A Battle of Weather Systems
Looking ahead, the Met Office predicts a meteorological tug-of-war. From next week, Atlantic weather systems will attempt to push in from the west, while high pressure and colder conditions try to dominate from the east.
Initially, milder Atlantic air is expected to be in charge, bringing cloudy, changeable conditions with showers and average temperatures. However, as the week progresses, the chance of a cold snap increases significantly, raising the potential for further snow across parts of the country.
A Met Office spokesperson stated: 'This aspect of the forecast is still somewhat uncertain but the potential transition to colder weather also increases the chance of snow across parts of the country.'
Short-Term Disruption and Long-Term Uncertainty
In the immediate term, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst highlighted that low cloud and fog could cause travel disruption over the next 24 hours. Temperatures will hover around average with some showers possible.
From Wednesday, there is an increased risk of heavy rain in Wales and the West Country – an area the forecasters are monitoring closely. Looking further ahead to next weekend and the following week, Mr Dewhurst described the outlook as a 'battle ground' between milder conditions and the chance of something much colder moving in from the east, setting the stage for a potentially frosty and snowy end to the month.
