UK drivers have been warned of dangerous conditions this week as poor weather continues, with dense and stubborn fog threatening to disrupt Thursday morning journeys. The warning follows the battering from storms Austen and Boelo, which brought wind and rain that left three people dead.
Calmer weather brings new hazard
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the UK would see a "big flip in the weather" over the next 48 hours. He said: "We're saying goodbye to the low pressure and saying hello again to high pressure."
But he said the calmer conditions will bring a new hazard, with dense and stubborn fog threatening to disrupt morning journeys. Mr Snell said Wednesday would still be "fairly blustery" with scattered showers before winds begin to drop in the evening.
Fog patches slow to clear
He added: "Come Thursday morning, some parts of the south and central parts of the UK could wake up to some fairly dense fog patches. They will be quite slow to clear. We're entering that time of year where fog can be quite stubborn to move once it's formed."
The forecaster urges Brits to avoid travel if possible in foggy conditions. If travelling is essential, it says to "drive very slowly with dipped headlights" because full-beam lights reflect off the fog causing a 'white wall' effect.
Safety advice for drivers
The forecaster also warns: "Don't hang on the tail lights of the car in front, rear lights can give a false sense of security."
Mr Snell said: "Many of us have certainly seen some very wet and windy weather." But next weekend is expected to be "very different" to the last.
Impact of recent storms
He added that Storm Austen hit Cornwall and Wales hardest, while Boelo bore down on Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. Provisional Met Office data shows Storm Austen brought a maximum gust of 69 knots (about 79mph) to the Isle of Wight, while Storm Boelo saw wind speeds in some exposed areas reach the low 80s mph.
