The UK is facing severely unsettled weather conditions – and a fierce drop in temperatures is set to hit later in the week. The country has been painted yellow in weather warnings as the Met Office warns of brutal winds and icy showers.
Winds could reach as high as 130kmph in Scotland.
Meanwhile later in the week will see blasts of rain and snow in concentrated parts of the country.
The mercury could reach as low as -8C in Scotland as the week progresses, and even hail might accompany the localised but fierce downpours.
As Storm Gerrit clears to the north, weather across the country will be “widely unsettled”, the Met Office said.
It added that today will see “further outbreaks of rain spreading northwards”. This will turn to snow for parts of Scotland that are above 200 metres.
“Storm force winds” are adding to the chaos, the weather agency said. The “coastal gales” will also batter Wales, coming from across the Atlantic.
There are highs of 12C and 14C in the north and south respectively today, compared with lows of -5C and 2C. This will drop to lows of -8C and -2C by Friday.
Tonight will see a “mixture of clear spells and showers”, meanwhile. As for tomorrow, “showers will be locally heavy and squally, perhaps with hail.”
The weather today is marked with widespread yellow warnings, covering huge parts of the country.
A rain and snow warning for most of Scotland just north of Edinburgh and Glasgow remains in place today, having been from 6am to the end of the day.
The weather agency warns: “Heavy rain and snow may result in some disruption.”
It added: “At higher elevations (roughly above 200 metres) snow is expected, with 10-15 cm likely to accumulate, particularly on southeast-facing hills and will affect some higher transport routes. Very strong southeasterly winds will accompany the rain and snow and exacerbate any impacts.”
It follows warnings for rain in the north west England, the south west of Scotland, the vast majority of Wales, and Cornwall. Finally, there was another wind warning from 3am to 6pm for the entirety of the south coast.
While 2024 will kick off with a mass wave of snow and rain covering nearly half of Britain.
This Evening and Tonight:
Through this evening and overnight, rain and hill snow across the far north will become confined to Shetland with severe gales. Elsewhere, a mixture of clear spells and showers, showers banded together in the west. Very windy for all.
Thursday:
Showers or longer spells of rain pushing in from the west at times. The showers will be locally heavy and squally, perhaps with hail. Feeling chilly.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
Brighter and showery on Friday, though windy. Further hill snow in north. Turning cloudier and windier on Saturday with rain arriving later, followed by showers and sunny spells on Sunday.
