The first named storm of the season could bring high winds and heavy rain to London later this week, according to forecasts. Following a mild start to October, stormy weather is expected to sweep the capital.
Temperatures have already taken a tumble to the low double figures, with rain showers predicted across Tuesday and Wednesday. The weather will be overcast, wet, and misty with highs between 12C and 13C, according to forecasters at the BBC and the Met Office.
Thursday night turn
The skies are set to clear on Thursday, while temperatures will rise to 14C, bringing sunny intervals throughout the day. But the weather is set to take a turn from Thursday night because of “two really deep areas of pressure” moving in from the Atlantic, say forecasters at BBC Weather.
Heavy rain is expected to sweep the capital from around 11pm on Thursday, continuing long into Friday, with winds picking up to as much as 45mph by 5pm.
Yellow weather warning
The first named storm of the season, which would be called Austin if identified by Met Office experts, could cause major disruption to parts of the UK from midnight to 12pm on Friday. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for winds for parts of southern England, including the south-west, and Wales, from midnight on Friday until noon the same day.
Coastal or exposed areas could see wind speeds exceeding 70 mph, while gusts of 50-60 mph are expected more widely.
Weekend outlook
The heavy wind will carry on into Saturday, with more rainy showers forecast through the afternoon. Winds are expected to reach 33mph into the evening, before a slightly drier and warmer Sunday - when the mercury will rise to 17C from 14C the previous day.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Elizabeth Rizzini said following a “mild” start to the morning, “two really deep areas of pressure” would move in from the Atlantic, bringing about the “possibility of a named storm.” “It’s wet and it’s windy pretty much all week,” she said.
In the UK, storms are typically named when they are forecast to cause significant damage or disruption, leading to an amber or red weather warning. It comes as forecasters predict a huge El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific could cause wetter and wilder weather this autumn. The Met Office also issued an update on the polar vortex that could cause chaos in London and across the UK this winter.
In the Met Office’s long range update, the forecast read that weather systems from the Atlantic “will bring spells of rain, heavy at times, together with a risk of strong winds or gales.” “Between systems it will be drier and brighter with some sunshine, but also with a few showers in places. Temperatures may be slightly below normal at first, but are likely to rise above average later,” it said.
