After a major European windstorm at the close of last weekend and the start of this week, we deal with yet another major Atlantic low which, like the previous, continues to deepen as it crosses the UK. Winds have been on the increase throughout today and by 3pm this afternoon gusts have been clocking 84 mph at Mumbles Head, South Wales. By 4pm they were sustained at 68 mph and gusting to 89 mph while wave heights just offshore have towered to 30 feet. Gales are widespread now and gusts are likely to increase to storm-force along Welsh and Southwest and South England coasts this evening as the low currently sweeps across central Scotland right now.

Below is the satellite from earlier off the Met Office website and you can see yet another yet defined, deep and troublesome low which has a classic hook with tail extending well into the tropics.

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This like the last storm, has a lot of energy streaming into the core from the sub-tropics while cold air gets drawn down from Greenland. There’s a tremendous amount of instability within the atmosphere during deepening phases of low pressure thus explaining the stronger than expected winds when upper energy gets transferred down towards the surface. We’ve also seen plenty of thunder and lightning reports as well as hail, a classic indicator of strong upward motion.

As I drove north from Stranraer up to Glasgow late this morning, I was beneath the northern flank of the storm’s front and this presented some rather dark skies, torrential flooding downpours as well as some amazing rainbows like this on I captured below.

This pattern continues and will keep bringing the wind and rain in via lows off the Atlantic.

Tomorrow will see the low swing out into the North Sea but hot on it’s heels is a hose of moisture and low pressure.

By tomorrow night another low pushes up from the Bay of Biscay impacting the South of England with heavy, potentially flooding rain and strong wind.

Skip out to later next week and it’s the same story.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the Europe Winter Forecast which provides insight into when this pattern will break and what we can expect for later down the road. Also check out today video!

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