NEXT month is set to bring unsettled weather and a “barrage of storms” as the icy freeze that has gripped the UK moves off, bringing unpredictable downpours.
(Image credit - Ian White)
The Met Office predict that conditions will remain generally unsettled and milder through the end of next week and into the middle of February.
AccuWeather forecaster Eric Leister said:
“A shift in the overall weather pattern will bring the return of potent Atlantic storms to the United Kingdom from late January into February.
“This expected outbreak of storms will be a significant change from what has occurred across the UK so far this year.
“A dominating area of high pressure has been centred over central and western Europe during much of January, shielding the UK from any significant storm systems.
“There have been no named windstorms during the month of January. However, this pattern change will likely yield multiple named storms during the month of February.
“The strongest storms are expected to bring impacts ranging from damaging winds and flooding to travel disruption.
“While all of the UK will notice an increase in stormy weather, the degree of impacts will vary across the country.
“The high frequency of these storms will also lead to an increased risk for river and stream flooding as areas get repeated rounds of rainfall.
“The barrage of storms will continue into the middle of February.”
Temperature will often feel milder compared to the chilly start to the year, as we move into next month.
This is due to cold conditions coming in from the continent lifting, allowing milder but much more unsettled weather to swing in from the Atlantic.
A Met Office spokeswoman said:
"We are looking at a more changeable weather pattern as we go into February.
"There's some cloud and rain for most people at some point this weekend.
"We can look at trends as we go through into the month and certainly it looks like at the moment that unsettled, changeable conditions will continue into the middle of February, if not until the end."
“Many people will see rain at some point on Saturday and over the high ground in the north there is the chance of showers turning wintry.
“We are looking at a general change to more unsettled conditions coming in from the Atlantic, there are a series of weather fronts coming through over the next week.”