The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings as strong winds sweep across the UK. While Friday will see outbreaks of rain, with sunny spells that will brighten up Northern Ireland and Scotland, Saturday will be a different story altogether. A deep area of low pressure, fuelled by a powerful jet stream high above the Atlantic, is set to bring very strong winds with gales in places to the UK. Gusts of 50-70mph (80-113km/h) are expected more widely across the warning areas. This could bring disruption to road, rail, ferry and air transport. Large waves and flying debris are potential hazards, along with the risk of power cuts.
The windiest weather on Saturday is likely to be found across Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, and north Wales. This weekend’s winds are unlikely to be as strong as those brought by Storm Darragh earlier in December but the impacts could still be significant because many of us will be making journeys in the run-up to Christmas. As we move into Christmas week itself the weather should start to calm down with winds easing by Monday. A weak weather front will bring cloudy, damp conditions, and things may stay quite grey during Christmas Eve too. However, by Christmas Day most places will be dry with the chance of some sunny spells – temperatures are expected to reach 10-13C across the UK.
The AA expects 23.7 million drivers to travel on Friday alone, with a further 22.7 million likely to hit the roads on each of Saturday and Monday. Likely traffic hotspots include the M4/M5 interchange near Bristol, sections of the M25 around London, the M5 and M6 in the West Midlands and parts of the M60 in Greater Manchester. The RAC said that motorcyclists are particularly at risk from strong cross winds while other drivers should consider whether journeys are really necessary. It suggests motorists should plan their routes carefully, hold the steering wheel firmly to keep control in gusty conditions, and drive more slowly to minimise the impact of strong winds on vehicle handling.
Many train services are expected to be busy over the weekend with National Rail warning of engineering works on many routes which will cause disruption regardless of any weather impacts. There is also the potential for disruption on ferry routes and at the airports. This could bring potential travel problems for many travelers, who are expected to make a getaway over the weekend. The festivities are still several days away so it is worth keeping up to date with the forecast with BBC Weather online and on the app, especially if you are planning a journey. With the Met Office issuing yellow weather warnings, it is important to check and be prepared for travel disruption over the weekend
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