The UK has faced some terrible weather recently, with Storm Elin and Sorm Fergus doubling up and high winds swirling across the country. The temperatures dropped so low recentlythat they triggered DWP's Cold Weather Payments in 11 new postcodes. Now, the UK is set for yet more rain.
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The Met Office has issued a two-day yellow weather warning that will fall over this weekend. Here’s what we can expect from the weather and its knock-on effects.
The weather warning this weekend
Warnings have already been issued over the travel chaos expected during the run-up to Christmas, but drivers are also being cautioned over the conditions expected this weekend.
The weather warning covers large parts of north-western Scotland and is in place from 6pm on Saturday 16 December to midnight on Sunday 17 December. The Met Office has warned that ‘spray and flooding is likely’ to cause problems on the road, with the possibility of closures.
Knock-on effects of the bad weather
The warning states that the ‘flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely’ and the intensity of the downpours means there’s ‘a small chance that some communities will become cut off by flooded roads’. This is likely to affect public transport, so remember to check your route carefully before setting off.
There is also ‘a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services’ to homes and businesses. For now, this disruption is expected mostly in the north-west of Scotland but Met Office Chief Forecaster, Paul Gundersen, explained that it may spread:
Later next week and the days running up to Christmas there are some suggestions that the jet stream will drift further south, allowing conditions to turn more widely unsettled.
However, as for this weekend, the rest of the UK is expected to stay reasonably dry and mild. As for a white Christmas, we will haver to wait and see: weather maps and forecasters have an unclear picture of just how cold it will get over the festive period.
Read more:
⋙ UK cold weather: This is why you start feeling aches and pains when temperatures drop
⋙ UK cold weather: Lowering the temperature in your home too much can have disastrous consequences
⋙ Here's how to have a merry Christmas, according to science
Sources used:
The Sun: WINTER BLAST UK weather: Met Office warns of heavy flooding and possible power cuts for parts of Britain – with snow on the way
