Latest news with #TheMetOffice
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Climate
- Wales Online
Met Office uses 'boiling pan of water' to explain forecast for hail, lightning and 40mm of rain
Met Office uses 'boiling pan of water' to explain forecast for hail, lightning and 40mm of rain After the storm, next week will be warm but with a risk of more thunder to come Some areas could see thunderstorms, but it is hard to say where The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for possible thunderstorms on Saturday. The Yellow National Severe Weather Warning comes into effect at 9am and covers parts of central and southern England and Wales. Later on Friday evening, more persistent rain and showers will arrive in the southwest, spreading eastwards overnight and becoming windy in the southwest by dawn. Saturday will see frequent heavy showers, some thundery with gusty winds and hail. Met Office Chief Meteorologist Dan Suri said: 'Frequent heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected for much of Saturday, before they fade from the west during the mid-to-late afternoon. 'It's possible that 10-15mm of rain could fall in less than an hour, while some places could see 30-40mm of rain over several hours from successive showers and thunderstorms. Frequent lightning, hail, and strong, gusty winds are also possible. 'A yellow warning for thunderstorms has been issued and covers parts of central and southern England and Wales. While brisk winds ensure that most places in the warning area will be hit by showers, not all places will see thunderstorms. In this case it's difficult to predict where exactly thunderstorms will hit because they are small and fast changing. 'One analogy we use to picture the complexity of this forecasting challenge is comparing it to boiling a pan of water and having to guess exactly where and when the bubbles will appear. We know some will, but only in certain places, and that is why thunderstorms are so hard to predict.' The Met Office says Sunday will be a quieter, drier day for most. There will be some showers around and these will be most frequent in the north and also the east at first. Clear and sunny spells are expected for many though, with perhaps some more persistent showers later in the west/northwest. Article continues below The new week will begin with sunshine and showers on Monday, mainly in the north, with plenty of dry weather in the south. Tuesday sees the possibility of a new low-pressure-system which is currently far out in the Atlantic, potentially pushing another weather front over the UK. This low would help to develop a more southerly flow for the UK though, bringing warmer air from Wednesday onwards. Although temperatures look set to rise – with the high 20s°C possible in the southeast on Thursday – the Met Office says this warm air also brings with it the risk of thunderstorms, which could mean an unsettled end to the week.
ITV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- ITV News
Forecasters on alert as thunderstorms set to rock the UK on the first weekend of summer
Weather Summer Thunderstorms The Met Office are expected to issue weather warnings across large swathes of the UK this weekend as thunderstorms sweep in from the Atlantic. When are we likely to see thunderstorms? A deep area of low pressure is expected to spread rain-bearing frontal systems in from the west in the early hours of Saturday morning. This system will continue to move eastwards across the UK throughout the day on Saturday before clearing out into the North Sea on Saturday evening. Behind the main body of the frontal system, the skies are expected to clear somewhat to a mixture of sunny spells and showers, although these will still have the potential to be heavy and thundery at times. How bad will they be? Saturday is certainly expected to be quite a lively day! There will be some brightness around and quite a humid feel, but where the thunderstorms break out, there is the potential for some extremely heavy rain (up to 50mm of rain in just a few hours), accompanied by hail and strong, gusty winds. The heaviest rain could create difficult driving conditions and travel disruption, as well as the chance of localised flooding in prone spots. Some areas can expect to see more rain in just a few hours on Saturday than they recorded during the whole of Spring! Sunday is likely to be a much quieter day with sunny spells and a few light and isolated showers. Who will be most affected? At this early stage, it is likely that England and Wales will be most at risk of the heaviest and most frequent thunderstorms, and in particular, the Midlands, Wales, and Merseyside areas will experience the heaviest and slowest-moving thunderstorms. Western areas should see signs of improvement throughout the afternoon as the system spreads eastwards to affect more central and eastern parts through the second half of the day. Weather warnings are likely to be issued on Friday, giving more details, so you are advised to stay up to date with the latest forecast for the latest on this developing situation. What actually are thunderstorms, and why are they happening on Saturday? Thunderstorms are essentially giant showers that form in unstable air. They are generated by localised heating of the Earth's surface, which causes warm air to rise, cool, and condense into clouds. They often start and stop very suddenly. Warming air rises higher and faster than normal and creates huge, towering thunderclouds like giant skyscrapers in the air. The water droplets in the air quickly freeze into balls of ice (hail) and rapidly circulate within the thundercloud. As they knock into each other, creating static electricity, which then discharges down to the ground. We see this discharge as 'lightning' and the sound that it makes is 'thunder', which is caused by the rapidly expanding air. We typically see around 200,000 to 300,000 lightning strikes every year, with climate experts expecting the frequency of thunderstorms to increase in response to the warming of the Earth. Do thunderstorms always bring gusty winds and very heavy rain? Very often we do expect heavy rain during a thunderstorm - but, interestingly, it's not uncommon for that rain to actually evaporate between leaving the cloud and reaching the surface of the earth! Did you know that you can often feel when a thunderstorm or heavy shower is close due to the wind suddenly becoming noticeably stronger and gusty. This is called a 'gust front' and is caused by the rain and downdraft from the storm spreading out along the ground. It's a bit like the breeze that is created when you're in the shower. As the hot air from the shower rises, it creates a pressure difference that draws in cooler air from below. The result is a general breeze, often causing a shower curtain to billow inward. The Met Office offers the following advice to stay safe in a thunderstorm: Before the storm, check the forecast and stay informed by monitoring the Met Office weather warnings and updates. Unplug non-essential electronics to protect them from power surges, and secure outdoor items like garden furniture and bins that could be blown around by strong winds. During the storm, seek shelter indoors or in a car with a metal roof. If you hear thunder, you're already within range of a lightning strike. Avoid using plumbing, landline phones, or touching metal objects. If you're caught outside with no shelter, crouch low with your feet together and hands over your ears; however, don't lie flat on the ground. After the storm, be cautious of downed power lines and report them to authorities. Check your property for damage and avoid touching any exposed wiring. If safe to do so, check on neighbours, especially those who may be vulnerable. Driving during a thunderstorm can be hazardous due to reduced visibility, standing water, and sudden gusts of wind. If you must drive, slow down and increase the distance between you and other vehicles. Use dipped headlights to improve visibility and avoid flooded roads. Just 30cm of moving water can float a car. If lightning is nearby, stay in your vehicle, which acts as a Faraday cage, directing the electrical current around the occupants.
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Climate
- Wales Online
Met Office says hot weather on the way but there's a catch
Met Office says hot weather on the way but there's a catch There's been a lot of 'changeable weather' the last week, so when will it get hot again? A spell of hot weather is on the way in Wales (Image: John Myers ) Those with school sports days and outdoor festivals and gigs in their diaries over the next few weeks will be hopeful of a return the beautifully warm and dry weather we had at the start of May. The good news is that a spell of hot weather is ahead for Wales in the second half of next week. The bad news is it could be accompanied by thunderstorms and showers. The Met Office's long range forecast for Monday June 9 to Wednesday, June 18 predicts "changeable weather" across Wales and the UK. It expects at the start of next week, we will experience showers or some longer spells of rain spreading in from the Atlantic. The heaviest and most prolonged rain, it says, will probably be across parts of the north and northwest, with the southeast likely driest. The forecast adds: "Temperatures are expected to be near normal or slightly below. "Into the second half of next week, there is potential for some warm or hot weather to develop. Article continues below "Particularly in the south and east, although this may be accompanied by heavy showers and thunderstorms. "Into the middle of June, high pressure may become more dominant. "This could bring periods of fine and dry weather, especially in south and temperatures rising above normal." Looking even further ahead for Thursday, June 19 to Thursday, July 3, the forecast reads: "Mid-June will probably see a good deal of dry weather across the UK. "High pressure will tend to dominate, especially in the south. "Toward the end of June and start of July, details are uncertain but conditions may become more changeable with some periods of unsettled weather. "Temperatures will probably be slightly higher than normal, perhaps turning hot at times." In the short term, The Met Office outlook for Friday to Sunday predicts showers, clearing to warm sunny spells on Friday. It adds that heavier and more frequent showers will follow on Saturday, with thunder and lightning possible, before becoming drier on Sunday, often breezy and feeling rather cool. Article continues below Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
France 24
7 days ago
- Business
- France 24
Over half of Europe and Mediterranean basin hit by drought in mid-May
It was the highest level recorded for that period of time in the year since monitoring began in 2012, and more than 20 points higher than the average between 2012-2024. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, based on satellite imagery, takes into account three benchmarks: precipitations, or rainfall, soil moisture and the state of vegetation. Watch, warning, alert There are three levels of drought: watch, warning and alert. Between May 11-20, 42 percent of Europe's soil and the Mediterranean basin were lacking in moisture, at a warning level, and five percent at alert level, signalling that vegetation was developping abnormally. Northern, eastern and central European countries were mainly concerned, with high alert levels. Some 19 percent of Ukrainian territory was on a state of alert while other countries were in a worrying situation, including Belarus (17 percent), Poland (10 percent), Hungary and Slovakia (nine percent). To the south, the level of alert stood at 20 percent in some countries and territories, including in Syria, Cyprus and the Palestinian territories. While stopping short of a state of alert, several countries were in mid-May hit by some kind of large drought, including the United Kingdom across 98 percent of its territory since mid-March. The UK's official weather service The Met Office said the UK experienced its its warmest spring on record -- and its driest in more than 50 years. The European Central Bank warned on May 23 of major economic risks from drought, which can threaten up to 15 percent of production in the eurozone due to increasing extreme weather caused by climate change.
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Wales Online
This might be the last chance to see Northern lights in UK for a while, but who can see them?
This might be the last chance to see Northern lights in UK for a while, but who can see them? The rare phenomenon is predicted to be visible in several parts of the country The northern lights as seen over fields in Undy, Monmouthshire (Image: John Myers ) People in certain parts of the country might be able to see northern lights or aurora borealis once again, but it doesn't look like it will last long. Earth is currently under the influence of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that came to the planet yesterday, June 1, according to the Met Office. The forecaster has said though people might be able to see the northern lights at first in UK, the chances to do so fall sharply with time, and will depend on factors like the intensity of geomagnetic activity and the sky being dark. The Met Office's forecast for yesterday predicted that people as far as Wales would be able to see the aurora borealis. The beautiful natural phenomenon has made a few appearances in Wales (Image: John Myers ) An X post by the forecaster June 1 read: 'There's a chance of seeing the #aurora tonight, possibly as far south as the Midland and Wales. 'Most likely though, the #northernlights will be visible for Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland, where clear skies allow.' Article continues below Content cannot be displayed without consent However, as mentioned above, the chances to see the Northern lights falls sharply with time. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here So will you be able to see the famed lights from your backyard tonight? If you live in Wales, that is unlikely due to the 'wet and windy' forecast for the night. The full forecast for Monday evening and night reads: 'A fine evening, with plenty of sunshine ahead of dusk. 'Turning wet and windy overnight as a band of rain arrives from the west. 'The rain will prove heavy for a time before clearing northern and western Wales by dawn. Minimum temperature 8 °C.' However, those living in Scotland, northern England, and Northern Ireland, might just be fortunate enough to experience the light due to 'residual geomagnetic storms' The Met Office has told WalesOnline: 'Some residual geomagnetic storms likely on Monday UTC evening, with aurora sightings generally confined to Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland.' Article continues below
