What do you prefer, cold and snowy for many of us enjoyed last weekend or warm and wet like this past weekend?

We’re back to the more active Atlantic pattern again but before I get into the upcoming week, I want to glance back at yesterday.

Temperatures last weekend failed to get above freezing in many places with night lows dipping to between -4 and -8, locally -10 to -12C.

This was the scene looking out from my house last Saturday.

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With a gradual warming trend throughout last week, yesterday was quite exceptional, almost back to the same extremity as December with Achnagart in the Highlands topping a spring-like 16.5C.

Carlisle, Kinloss and Aldergrove (Belfast Intl Airport) all enjoyed their warmest January day on record.

When stepping out the door at 5.20am this morning, it felt more like a summer morning than mid winter with the car registering 13C.

This warm surge is lifting north from Africa and Iberia ahead of the very same system which dropped the record Eastern US snows.

With a flatter and stronger jet, we’re seeing the return of low pressure and frequent spells of wind and rain.

Mild in South but turning cooler through today across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England as a front brings windier and eventually wetter weather but this heralds a sign of wetter, windier conditions to come tonight through tomorrow.

Tomorrow, wind and rain will be one of three systems which impact between now and Friday!

Widespread gales across Northern Ireland, Scotland and west England and Wales during tomorrow.

Then the next system moves in Wednesday

Followed by a 3rd Friday.

By the time we reach the end of Friday, an additional 5-6 inches of rain may have fell over the western upslopes of the UK with further flooding problems likely.

See this morning’s video for the discussion.

Europe February Outlook is now available.

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