Storm Ciaran may not be the last bringer of severe weather this month, forecasters have warned, as another “strong” system is set to follow hot on its heels next week.
Meteorologists have warned that the UK will spend nearly a month gripped by the recent stormy spell, with the established pattern to continue until at least mid-November.
Rain and wind have lashed the British Isles for the last fortnight, first in the form of named Storm Babet and now Storm Ciaran, both bringing flooding and gale-force gusts.
The Met Office has issued nearly a dozen warnings for the next couple of days, both yellow and amber, alerting people to potentially life-threatening conditions until Friday, November 3.
Other top forecasters have warned there is likely more to come, with “another strong storm coming on the heels of Ciaran”.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Jason Nicholls, the Lead International Forecaster for AccuWeather, said the current stormy pattern will last until Thursday, November 9, but could continue beyond Monday, November 13.
He said: “The stormy pattern is expected to continue through Thursday of next week with another strong storm coming on the heels of Ciaran this weekend.
“The pattern may change next weekend with a spell of drier weather next weekend into early the week of November 13.”
But he added that a “frontal passage” may develop “in that period”, with any drier weather possibly proving “brief”.
Mr Nicholls said: “Any drier period appears to be brief with the possible return of stormy weather late the week of the 13th.”
Weather maps show wind speeds increasing after a lull following Ciaran during the week beginning Monday, November 6, up to 65mph in English coastal regions.
While forecasters haven’t predicted whether the next storm will earn itself a name like its two predecessors, any system powerful enough to follow Ciaran already has a dedicated name.
If the Met Office, not one of the agency’s European sister agencies, names the next storm, the system would be referred to as Debi.
Forecasters released the names of every storm for the 2023/2024 season in September, with Elin, Fergus, Gerrit, Henk, Isha, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Lilian, Minnie, Nicholas, Olga, Pit Regina, Stuart, Tamiko, Vincent and Walid following Debi.
But the Met Office doesn’t always have first naming dibs, meaning each of these names won’t necessarily be used, as other meteorological organisations may name systems if they reach their nation first.
