Storm Éowyn named as strong winds, heavy rain and snow forecast

The system could bring gusts of over 80mph to exposed coasts in Northern Ireland, northern England, north-west Wales and western Scotland, with the Met Office Yellow severe weather warnings issued and further updates likely in the coming days.

Change in UK weather is coming

The recent relatively benign conditions, albeit with plenty of gray skies, are likely to continue into Tuesday and Wednesday with occasional bursts of rain.

However, a major change in Britain’s weather starts on Thursday as a front bringing heavy rain moves east during the day. The highest rainfall is likely to be in western parts of Scotland, England and Wales, where 20-30mm could fall in places, with some snow likely over high ground in the northern half of the country, particularly over the Scottish Highlands.

Storm Éowyn’s disturbance

Storm Éowyn, pronounced ‘ay-oh-win’, will start to affect Britain’s weather early on Friday, with increasing winds initially in south-west parts of the UK with accompanying heavy rainfall. This will quickly spread northeast to the rest of the UK during Friday morning. There is also a chance of snow over Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland as the system initially bumps into cold air, but much of this will quickly change to rain as milder air moves in.

Meteorologist Mike Silverstone, deputy head of the Meteorological Office, 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, north-west Wales and western Scotland, with exposed locations experiencing gusts in excess of 80mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas .There will also be some heavy rain which will bring some unpleasant conditions to end the week.

“The first warning for Storm Éowyn has been issued several days in advance, so it is important to keep up to date with the forecast as further details emerge in the coming days.”

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “The wet and windy weather caused by Storm Éowyn will make driving much more of a challenge towards the end of this week, particularly for those in the west of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Strong winds mean there is a greater likelihood of downed branches and trees on rural routes between motorways and A-roads, which can block travel and puncture tires if not carefully avoided.

“Carriers must also be well aware of the shock effect of sudden gusts, especially along coasts 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 when they pass trucks on the highway and then get hit by the wind on the other side. It is 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 change in conditions is driven by the weather across the Atlantic. A large, very cold pool of air over parts of North America generates a strong contrast in temperatures across the continent that acts to strengthen the jet stream, resulting in deeper low pressure systems to develop, this jet oriented such that these lows will then become ruled across the Atlantic against Great Britain.

Further ahead

As Storm Éowyn weakens and clears towards the north-east of the UK, Saturday will remain a windy day across the board with strong northerly winds continuing. It will be drier for many with showers replacing persistent heavy rain.

Later on Sunday, however, another area of ​​low pressure could bring further wet and very windy weather across the UK.

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