The latest weather maps for Wales as weather bomb to hit UK

Parts of Wales look set to see the heaviest rain
-Credit:Met Office


Parts of Wales has been placed in the firing line as the first of two 'weather bombs' crash into the UK later this week. Disruptive weather is forecast with potential for a storm to be named at the end of the week.

The Met Office says that Tuesday will see further settled, yet grey, weather across the UK with cloud covering much of the country, outbreaks of rain over some northern parts of England and Wales and showers over northern Scotland. On Wednesday the focus of rain will shift to southern England where rain will affect some areas.

The forecasting agency says that a major change in our weather starts on Thursday, as a front bringing heavy rain moves eastwards through the day. North Wales and northwest England are expected to see the highest accumulations where 20-30mm could fall over the hills, some hill snow is possible over the Scottish mountains. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE: M4 crash as accident near Cardiff causing rush hour delays

READ MORE: Keir Starmer says 'he's angry' at failures over Southport - live updates

Having identified potential “explosive cyclogenesis” in its forecast – commonly referred to as a “weather bomb” – the forecaster said the phenomenon could potentially bring the “strongest winds of the year”.

Fiercest of the gales are expected in Northern Ireland and western Scotland, where a 36-hour yellow warning has been issued already, starting on Thursday at midnight, with gusts of up to 80mph and “possibly higher”. The Met Office said further alerts are possible as the system’s trajectory becomes clearer. Strong winds are also expected in Wales, which in places is still recovering from the brutal winter storms seen in November and December.

The areas covered by the wind warning on Thursday and Friday
The areas covered by the wind warning on Thursday and Friday

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, Chris Almond, said: "A very deep area of low pressure will bring a very unsettled, potentially disruptive, spell of weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday. Winds will begin to strengthen on Thursday night with the peak gusts forecast through Friday in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.

ADVERTISEMENT

"We have issued a yellow weather warning for wind, and with several days before the impactful weather, the forecast details are likely to be fine-tuned during the week, so stay tuned to your local forecast and keep up to date with Met Office warnings."

Met Office weather maps show that the worst of the rain in Wales will be around midnight from Thursday night into Friday morning:

The map at midnight
The map at midnight

It looks set to be wet throughout the early hours of Friday with very heavy rain at 6am on Friday:

Weather map
It's going to be a wet end to the week

The change in conditions is being driven by the weather over the other side of the Atlantic. A large, very cold pool of air over parts of North America is generating a stark contrast in temperatures across the continent, acting to strengthen the jet stream resulting in deeper low pressure systems being able to develop, this jet oriented such that these lows will then be steered across the Atlantic towards the UK.

ADVERTISEMENT

Chris Almond continued: “As the low develops over the Atlantic and interacts with the jet stream it will rapidly strengthen, a phenomenon called ‘explosive cyclogenesis’, where the central pressure of a low at latitudes in which the UK lies drops 24 millibars or more in 24 hours. This is forecast to happen on Thursday while the system is out over the Atlantic and it will be a mature feature by the time it reaches the UK.”

As the area of low pressure weakens and continues its north easterly track to the north of the UK, Saturday will remain a breezy day everywhere with strong winds persisting in the far North. It will be drier with showers replacing persistent heavy rain.

By Sunday another area of low pressure could bring further wet and very windy weather across the UK.