Met Office confirms ‘rare' weather phenomenon in Scotland as expert teases jet stream shift

Scottish Sun

18 hours ago

Plus, a look ahead to this weekend's weather
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THE MET office has confirmed that Scotland experienced a "rare" weather phenomenon in the last week.
And experts have teased that a jet stream shift is on the way in days as the country continues to be battered with turbulent weather.
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The rare weather phenomenon brought thunder, rain, lightning and winds
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Scots have been warned to brace for more rain tomorrow
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And some areas could see windy and stormy weather into the weekend
Credit: Alamy
Most Scots saw a miserable start to June with rain, grey skies and even some high winds after a roasting hot April.
And many were itching for more sunshine after experiencing the warmest and sunniest spring on record in the UK.
Luckily, the middle of the month brought a sizzling heatwave with temperatures reaching highs of 29C.
But the sun-soaked heat wave slowly faded, and over the last week, Scots were battered by heavy downpours.
Tomorrow is looking to be especially wet, with some areas set to see around 5cm of rainfall.
And as the turbulent weather continues, the Met Office revealed that an extremely rare weather phenomenon actually occurred in Scotland last weekend.
While the UK rarely sees supercells, the ingredients were in place: strong wind shear, elevated instability, and a moist, warm air mass
The Met Office
The forecaster said that a 'supercell' thunderstorm was recorded in the southeast of the country.
Supercell thunderstorms are periods of severe thundery weather, bringing hail, winds and even tornadoes, that can last for a very long time.
They are defined by a mesocyclone, which is a rotating updraft which allows the storm to sustain itself for hours.
The Met Office describes it as: "Supercells are the most organised and long-lived type of thunderstorm.
Exact time Scotland's Saharan sizzler set to arrive as temperatures to hit 26C
"They are defined by a rotating updraft, known as a mesocyclone, which allows them to sustain themselves for hours and produce severe weather, including large hail, damaging winds, and even tornadoes."
And the experts went on to say that "at least one storm bore the hallmarks of a supercell".
They explained that the conditions were caused by a powerful jet stream streak that originated in North America.
The Met Office said: "So, did the UK experience a supercell thunderstorm?
"The answer, in fact, is yes, at least one storm bore the hallmarks of a supercell, and possibly more.
"While the UK rarely sees supercells, the ingredients were in place: strong wind shear, elevated instability, and a moist, warm air mass.
"Doppler radar showing rotation aloft, and hail reports of up to 2cm in southeast Scotland, support the supercell diagnosis.
"One storm even showed potential for 4cm hail, though this remains unverified due to its rural location and the fact that it occurred late at night."
This jet stream is continuing to wreak havoc on our weather as it drives Atlantic systems towards Scotland.
This means that the west of the country is expected to experience heavy rain, wind and possibly even hail in the coming days.
While the south could be battered with thunderstorms on top of torrential rain and high winds.
However, forecasters said that there are signs that the jet stream is weakening and moving further north over the weekend.
The role of the jet stream
THE Met Office has revealed exactly how the jet stream impacts weather in Scotland and what we can expect in the next few days.
The experts said: "The return of the jet stream to the UK has been a major driver of recent weather patterns.
"Typically, stronger and more active in autumn and winter, the jet stream can still play a significant role in summer when it dips southward or becomes more amplified.
"Last week, a powerful jet streak developed over North America due to a strong temperature contrast between hot, humid air over the Gulf of Mexico and cooler air over the Rockies.
"This amplified jet stream is now crossing the Atlantic and influencing UK weather.
"As it arrives, it's bringing a conveyor belt of low-pressure systems and frontal boundaries, leading to a more unsettled spell.
"The position of the jet stream is also crucial in determining where the boundary lies between cooler air to the north and hot, humid air to the south."
If this is the case, then Scotland will see more settled weather with warmer air coming in from the south, bringing the mercury levels back up.
Looking ahead, the Met Office states: "The forecast for the coming days remains finely balanced.
"A filament of the jet stream currently over Iberia is expected to move northeast into France, bringing with it the potential for severe thunderstorms.
"These storms are likely to remain over the near continent, but there is a risk they could brush the far southeast of England.
"Forecast CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) values are high over the continent, indicating a lot of energy available for storm development.
"Combined with wind shear and rising air, this creates a favourable environment for large hail, frequent lightning, and torrential rain.
"Elsewhere in the UK, showers are expected to drift north across the southeastern half of the country, while the northwest remains wetter due to frontal systems driven by the jet stream.
"Rainfall totals could exceed 50 mm in parts of Cumbria and western Scotland by Friday."