Flood Alert As Storm Abigail Is Set To Batter UK With Strong Winds And Heavy Rains

BRITAIN is braced for a winter battering this weekend as storm Abigail blows in.

Heavy winds and rain are expected across much of the country from Sunday, with temperatures also set to plunge.

Experts warn of flooding – bringing with it travel mayhem, damage to buildings and possible power cuts – as the calm weather gives way to the storms.

Saturday night bonfires and fireworks displays could well be washed out, though the worst weather is not likely to hit until Sunday and stay through the start of next week.

Downpours on Sunday could dump up to two inches of rain in just a few hours.

Abigail – the first named storm of the season – is poised to move in from the Atlantic.

Western and northern regions are will be hit with the worst of the weather over the weekend, although nowhere in the country will escape, forecasters warn.

Last December’s storms

They say it will herald the start of a major change in the weather from a mild autumn so far to a cold and stormy winter.

There is even the chance of snow before the end of the month, the Daily Express reports.

The stormy forecast has been blamed on an unusually powerful jet stream currently whipping up speeds of 170mph.

It has shown similarities to the start of last winter when Britain was battered by a savage ‘weather bomb’.

It was triggered by a fall in air pressure which unleashed 140mph-plus winds.

Weather Network spokesman Richard Chapman said the first proper storm of autumn will strike on Sunday.

He said: ‘It will become windy through Sunday as low-pressure passes north-west of Scotland, this brings the risk of gales across many northern and western areas.

'A very windy couple of days are in the offing for Monday and Tuesday and it will be cloudy for many on Monday with a rain affecting much of the northern and western parts of the country.

'With the jet stream firmly established Wednesday and Thursday look set to be similar days although perhaps a little less breezy by Thursday.’

He said that the temperatures next week will remain mild for this time of year.

Piers Corbyn, forecaster for WeatherAction, warned the storm is likely to be the strongest since last December.

Bookmakers have slashed the odds on winds beating the record 173mph before New Year.

The Met Office in September handed the task of naming storms to the British public who picked ‘Abigail’ to be the first.

Spokesman Nicola Maxey said: 'We are continuing to monitor the developing weather situation, and will let everyone know when any storm is officially named.

'We are expecting unsettled weather this weekend, with spells of rain and strong to gale force winds at times.’

Netweather forecaster Jo Farrow said strong winds and rain will start to whip up winds from Saturday night.

She said: 'This could perhaps be the first named storm of the season, that would be Abigail.

'We will have to wait and see if she brings some very wet and windy weather.’

Meanwhile, some experts say temperatures are about to plunge with snowfall likely in parts of the country before the end of the month, the Express reports.

James Madden, from for Exacta Weather, said: 'From around mid-November we can expect to see some significant changes taking place as winds begin to veer in from a much chillier northerly and easterly direction.

'These chilly winds will also be accompanied by some some significant snow across higher ground within this period, and we are also likely to see some wintry showers reaching some lower levels at times in parts of the north and east.

'Later in the month is also likely to bring the first snow of the autumn to parts of the south and the capital.’

Pictures from Rex Features