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A typical taste of autumn weather for the UK

This week sees a typical autumnal mix of weather for the UK, with some foggy nights contrasting with wet and windy spells.

Andy Page, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “We can expect a typical mix of weather this week. A strengthening jet stream will drive frontal systems in from the west mid-week onwards, so we’ll see the weather swinging from foggy nights and pleasant sunshine to periods of strong winds and heavy rain.”

The week started off on a quiet note with mist and fog affecting some areas last night which will clear today to leave a pleasant day with warm sunny spells for most.

Eastern areas should be mainly dry and fine on Wednesday while the wind picks up and brings cloud and rain into western areas during the afternoon and evening. This rain may still be around in the east on Thursday morning, but western areas will be much brighter and the sun will break through in the east as well. 

The changeable theme continues at the end of the week with more rain moving in from the west on Friday. 

So far this autumn, hurricanes have rarely been out of the headlines as they have brought devastation to parts of the Caribbean and the southern United States.

These systems often head north out of the tropics, but when hurricanes lose connection with warmer tropical waters they lose their source of energy and weaken rapidly as a result.

These systems have decayed by the time they enter our latitudes, but their remnants still contain air of tropical origin, which can still exert an influence on the weather in the north-east Atlantic, including the UK.

Currently, meteorologists are watching the progress of hurricanes Lee and Maria around the North Atlantic. Both have moved considerably north of the Tropic of Cancer and are occupying the open waters of the North Atlantic. Both systems are weakening, but there is potential for them to interact with each other and then combining with a standard low-pressure system which could track towards the UK.

Andy said: “Anyone seeing the devastation in the Caribbean could be forgiven for feeling alarm at suggestions that the ‘tail end of Hurricane Maria’ will affect the UK.

“What we are more likely to experience is a low-pressure system which has been modified by the tropical air brought north by these systems. It is this air which has the potential to affect our weather, rather than the remnants of the hurricanes themselves. Our waters are far too cool to sustain an actual hurricane.”

Andy continued: “These systems regularly head towards the UK, especially in autumn. They can bring very strong winds and heavy rain, but they are a normal part of our weather.

“It’s worth keeping up to date with the forecast for the latest information and we’ll keep you updated with any potential impacts for the UK.”

 

Channel website: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk

Original article link: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/news/releases/2017/typical-autumn-weather

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