UK weather: Brits brace for New Year’s washout with ‘wintry’ showers & wind after 70mph Storm Gerrit brings -6C chill
BRITS are bracing for a New Year’s weekend washout with “wintry” showers as Storm Gerrit wreaks havoc.
The UK was battered by 70mph wind and chills of -6 in parts of the UK yesterday.
And there will be no relief as the outlook for Friday to Sunday – although “brighter” – will still see showers and rain, the Met Office says.
Forecasters said there will be snow in the North of England on Friday, with the weather turning “cloudier and windier on Saturday.
Saturday is set to see cloudy skies and wind with rain arriving later.
On Sunday – New Year’s Eve – forecasters say Brits should expect “showers and sunny spells”, potentially putting a dampener on firework plans.
New Year’s Day appears set to be slightly milder, with the Met Office’s long range forecast saying: “Into the new year it now looks finely balanced whether near or slightly above temperatures will be in place across the south, with periods of rain, wind, and showers.
“Or if the slightly below average temperatures in place across the north; where showers will remain wintry, will manage to filter southwards or not.”
Next week could bring “more significant snowfall” – bring fog and frost along with it.
A further risk of winter hazards – including ice and snow – could then develop.
It comes after Storm Gerrit wreaked havoc across the UK on Wednesday.
Chills of -6.2C were recorded in Braemar, Scotland, yesterday, as winds of 70mph and heavy rain battered the UK.
A yellow weather warning for “very windy conditions” is in place across swathes of the West Coast, with Brits warned of travel disruption.
Miles of cars were left trapped in snow, with trains across the UK cancelled.
A major incident was declared on the A9 in the Scottish Highlands as emergency services were scrambled.
Police Scotland said they were dealing with the incident between Drumochter and Dalwhinnie as rescue teams prioritise the vulnerable amid “severe conditions”.
Earlier on Wednesday the Met Office warned some areas of the Highlands could see between 10-20cm of snow.
Disruption on the A9 saw Rangers’ SPL game against Ross County called off after the latter’s team bus was unable to reach Glasgow.
A spokesperson for Highland Council said: “A major incident has been declared for A9 due to miles of vehicles stuck in the snow between Drumochter and Dalwhinnie.
“Partner agencies are providing assistance to those trapped, prioritising most vulnerable, and turning vehicles around at north and south of the closure.
“Conditions are very severe. We are advising people not to travel on A9 today between Inverness and Dalwhinnie.”
Extraordinary pictures show how Bowling station in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, turned into a canal as water flooded the tracks.
Meanwhile at least eighteen British Airways flights due in and out of Heathrow were axed.
Thousands of travellers hoping to return to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Manchester had their plans ripped up.
And those bound for Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid and Paris Charles de Gaulle had their journeys canned as air traffic control brought in a raft of travel restrictions.
A British Airways spokesman apologised to customers for the disruption and said they are working hard to get travellers on their way “as quickly as possible”.