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Britain faces two weeks of unsettled weather ahead of Halloween, with forecasts indicating five periods of heavy rain and strong winds as Atlantic low-pressure systems move across the country.
Wind gusts could reach 60 mph in western areas and 50 mph farther east, while rainfall totals could approach five inches in some locations over the coming fortnight.
- Britain could experience five periods of stormy weather before Halloween, with forecasts indicating five inches of rain and wind gusts reaching 60 mph in western areas.
- The Met Office warns that Atlantic low-pressure systems could bring disruptive conditions, with the first named storm of autumn, Storm Austen, possible if warning criteria are met.
- Blackpool faces heavy rain through midweek, while Suffolk pumpkin growers report substantial crop losses following the UK’s record-warm summer and widespread drought.
The change follows temperatures of 21C recorded last week. Daytime highs are expected to fall to around 13-15C as a succession of weather systems, some extending approximately 400 miles across, replaces the recent settled conditions.
Forecasters expect particularly strong winds on Friday and Sunday, with three further periods of unsettled weather possible the following week.
Met Office warns of heavy rain and strong Atlantic winds
Met Office chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said the high-pressure system responsible for the recent mild weather would weaken, allowing Atlantic weather systems to reach the UK.
High pressure will loosen its grip, allowing for lower pressure and Atlantic weather systems increasing the chance of wet and windy weather for all areas.
Changes in the position and strength of the jet stream are expected to allow deeper low-pressure systems to move across the country, increasing the likelihood of widespread rain and strong winds.
The Met Office said unsettled weather is becoming more likely through the remainder of the month, with “spells of wet and windy weather arriving from the Atlantic”.
The conditions could disrupt travel and outdoor activities during the school half-term holiday and Halloween period.
Storm Austen could become autumn’s first named storm
The approaching Atlantic systems could produce the first named storm of the autumn season.
The Met Office would name a qualifying system Storm Austen if its forecast impacts warranted naming, potentially including amber-level wind warnings.
No storm designation has been confirmed in the source forecasts, and the severity and location of the strongest conditions remain subject to changes in the weather outlook.
Forecasters have identified the possibility of widespread disruption later this week, although the precise development and movement of the low-pressure systems will require continued monitoring.
Colder overnight conditions are also expected. Temperatures could fall close to freezing in northern areas, while much of southern Britain may experience single-digit overnight readings.
The decline in temperatures is expected to prompt more households to switch on their heating.
El Niño could influence autumn and winter weather
The unsettled outlook comes amid forecasts of a strengthening El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean.
El Niño can influence global atmospheric circulation and weather patterns, although its effects on individual countries depend on other atmospheric conditions.
Some forecasts cited in the reports suggest that a particularly strong event could contribute to wetter and warmer conditions during the UK autumn.
World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo described the developing event as “strengthening rapidly”, with projections suggesting it could become one of the strongest in the past 70 years.
The potential impact on UK winter weather remains uncertain, with the severity and timing of individual storms requiring shorter-range forecasts.
