Storm Eowyn to bring heavy rain and 50mph gusts to Surrey
Storm Éowyn is set to hit the UK, and the Met Office is forecasting strong winds and heavy rainfall. While Surrey is one of the only areas in the country not under a weather warning it will not be spared from turbulent conditions.
The Met Office is predicting that Storm Éowyn, pronounced ‘ay-oh-win’, will start having an impact early on Friday (January 24). Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: “Storm Éowyn will bring a period of very unsettled, potentially disruptive, weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday.
“The strongest gusts are likely to be felt across parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, northwestern Wales and western Scotland, where exposed sites could get gusts in excess of 80mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas. There will also be some heavy rain, bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.
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“The initial warning for Storm Éowyn has been issued several days in advance, so it’s important to stay up to date with the forecast as further details emerge in the coming days.”
Surrey is currently forecast to bring gusts of around 50mph as well as hours of heavy rain. In Guildford, Haslemere and Farnham, there is a forecast of downpours between 6am and 9am on Friday (January 24).
The weather forecast might mean some difficult driving conditions. RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Strong winds mean there’s a higher likelihood of fallen branches and trees on rural routes between motorways and A-roads, which can obstruct journeys and puncture tyres if not carefully avoided.
“Drivers also need to be well aware of the buffeting effect of sudden gusts, especially along coastlines and exposed areas where the worst weather is expected. High-sided vehicles are most at risk of being blown off course, but cars can also be affected as they pass lorries on the motorway and are then hit by the wind on the other side. It’s best to keep speeds low and have a firm grip on the wheel to avoid being caught off-guard, especially in areas where heavy rain will affect visibility.”
The worst of the wind is predicted for Friday morning, with wind forecast to dampen down around 3pm. The strongest winds are likely to be in the south of the county such as Haslemere where gusts are set to hit 50mph. However, winds will be strong all over, including Woking (48mph) Redhill (50mph) and Dorking (50mph).
The winds are set to ease going into Saturday (January 25) another area of low pressure could bring further wet and very windy weather across the UK. Areas all across Surrey are expecting some rain on Sunday (January 26) and Monday (January 27) although this is not predicted to be as bad as on Friday.