Blustery and thundery showers to spoil outdoor plans across the UK early this weekend

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

August 17,2016; 5:25PM,EDT

 

 

A potent depression threatens to spoil early weekend plans across the United Kingdom by unleashing blustery and thundery showers.
Rain and gusty winds will advance from west to east across the U.K. on Friday as an unusually strong depression for late August arrives.
There can be localized downpours, especially in South West England and Wales on Friday morning. Any downpour will create hazards for motorists by reducing visibility and heightening the risk of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds.
In the wake of this steadiest band of rain, showery spells will follow into the first half of the weekend as the depression slowly tracks eastward.

Some of the showers will turn thundery from Northern Ireland to South West England on Friday afternoon and evening. The risk of thundery showers will then focus on Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north of England on Saturday, especially during the afternoon.
"The thundery showers later on Saturday could become heavy and raise the risk of flash flooding from northwestern Wales to around the Manchester area," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.
Anyone planning to attend the Edinburgh International Festival or Festival Fringe may be forced to limit their time mingling outside between shows. As soon as thunder is heard, the risk of being struck by lightning is present.
Saturday's thundery showers threaten to spoil or interfere with the funfair, music show and fireworks display at Groomsport in Northern Ireland.
Farther south, the showers will tend to be more blustery than thundery across Wales, the Midlands and southern England on Saturday.
"Winds can occasionally gust between 35 and 45 mph (55 and 70 km/h) on Friday night and Saturday," Roys said. "The exposed coastal areas of Wales and South West England could even get sporadic gusts of 50 mph (80 km/h) or higher."
The strongest winds could down tree branches, lead to sporadic power cuts and toss around any loose lawn chairs or other items.
The windiest time for South East England, including London, will be on Saturday. Fans planning to watch Justin Bieber headline the V Festival at Hylands Park in Chelmsford may want to opt for a rain jumper and wellies instead of a brolly as the winds will make holding onto the latter difficult.
Due to the gusty winds, AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures will be held below actual highs. Saturday's highs across the southern U.K. will range from 16-21 C (60s F).
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The winds also threaten to spoil boating plans for those hoping to set sail on the Celtic Sea, Saint George's Channel and English Channel to start the weekend by kicking up very rough seas.
"Later on Friday into Saturday, wave heights will be 4.5-7.5 meters (15-25 feet) over the Celtic Sea," Roys said.
"These waves could pound the shores of southwestern Wales and far South West England, where there can also be minor coastal flooding at high tide on Friday evening and Saturday morning."
Seas, winds and the risk of thundery showers will diminish on Sunday as the depression departs.
It will still be breezy across the southern U.K. to end the weekend. Residents with outdoor plans will want to keep a brolly handy as showery spells will persist but will be less numerous than on Saturday.
The depression impacting the U.K. is unusually strong for late August and will give residents a taste of what is to come in the coming months with an increasingly stormy autumn expected.