Although temperatures peaked at nearly 14C in the UK on Monday, it will feel slightly colder today – due to monster gales sweeping in from the northwest which have battered Iceland
Monster gales of up to 60mph will rage across parts of the UK today – despite balmy temperatures of 13C.
The southwesterly winds have potential to cause disruption throughout the day, forecasters say. The Met Office understands parts of Scotland will be worst affected by the gales, although there will be gusts of around 45mph as far south as Derbyshire and Gwynedd, Wales.
The monster winds have ravaged Iceland are working their way west. Aidan McGivern, meteorologist with the Met Office, had said in a YouTube video for the service: “At the moment, high pressure in charge, but a powerful jet stream is to the northwest of the UK and that’s going to send this low into Iceland and that low is going to produce some very strong winds indeed for Iceland.
“The UK not immune, the northern half of the UK will experience increasing wind speeds through Tuesday with wind gusts of in excess of 50mph, even 60mph in parts of northern Scotland. Fairly blustery on Tuesday as well for northern England and Northern Ireland, particularly around the higher parts of these areas.”
The gusts will make it feel colder throughout Tuesday but air temperatures will still exceed 10C for most of the UK, particularly in eastern regions. It is unlikely Monday’s balmy high of 13.4C – recorded at Kew Gardens, southwest London – will be repeated today but it will remain mild across most of the country.
And conditions will continue to be settled and pleasant for most of this week – until rain arrives from the south on Friday. The early indication is southeastern areas, like East and West Sussex, and Kent, will see the heaviest showers.
Looking ahead to the end of the week, Mr McGivern added: “There will be a lot more cloud (on Friday) across England and Wales, and some outbreaks of showery rain moving through.
“It’s not going to feel quite as warm, Scotland and Northern Ireland into fresher air but also sunnier skies and so a marked contrast compared with the previous three days.”
