The UK is only just coming out of the chaos caused by Storm Ciarán, which brought high winds, heavy rain, and flooding. Days ago, forecasters said that with temperatures plummeting in November we may even see snow within the next few weeks. Now, the Met Office has issued a fresh warning.
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There were hopes for ‘lasting settled conditions’ following the mayhem of Storm Ciarán, but these have been dashed as more bad weather is set to arrive this week. This is because of a ‘jet streak’, which will average a speed of 110mph, that will hit the UK at the end of this week.
Unfortunately, there’s more: this is to be followed up by more rain at the start of next week. So, what is a ‘jet streak’ and what sort of weather can we expect from it?
What is a ‘jet streak’?
According to the National Weather Service, ‘a ‘jet streak’ refers to a portion of the overall jet stream where winds along the jet core flow are stronger than in other areas along the jet stream’. And what’s the overall jet stream? Well, the Met Office describes it as ‘a core of strong winds around 5 to 7 miles above the Earth’s surface, blowing from west to east’.
In simple terms, jet streaks are significant because they create a breeding ground for cyclone and precipitation development.
When can we expect the bad weather?
Jim Dale, senior meteorologist for British Weather Services said:
There are a few lows coming in again after the calmer start to the week, and once again we are going to be looking over our shoulder for the possibility of another disruptive storm.
The west of the country is going to be particularly wet this week with another couple of inches of rain on the way, and while this doesn’t sound like a lot it is around two times the average.
He explained that the next few days are ‘going to be a watching and waiting exercise’ but ‘there is no sign in the forecasts of any long-term settled weather, as the weather will be dominated by low pressure for the next week at least’.
The high winds are expected to arrive by the end of this week and the rain will follow shortly afterwards. It seems Brits will be using their waterproofs and umbrellas for some time yet!
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Sources used:
Express: UK weather: Britain could be plunged into deep freeze as next mega storm imminent
National Weather Service: Entrance of Jet Streaks
Met Office: What is the jet stream?
