UK to face additional heavy rain, strong winds on Monday

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather meteorologist

February 5,2017, 10:48:54AM,EST

 

 After a lull on Sunday, the risk of wind-swept rain will return to the United Kingdom to start the new week.

Following the departure of the storm that crossed the U.K. on Friday and into the start of the weekend, the storm track shifted farther to the south on Sunday giving the region a break from unsettled weather.
While odd showers dampened some communities across the north of the United Kingdom, the British Isles escaped the heavy rain and damaging winds targeting France, Spain and northern Portugal.
Into the start of the new week, the storm track will shift back to the north and lead to a much stormier spell across Great Britain.

"A strong cold front will blast across Northern Ireland, Scotland, southwestern England and Wales on Monday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said. "This will cause a period of steadier and heavier rain, along with strong wind gusts of 50-60 mph (80-100 km/h)."
Even stronger gusts, ranging on the order of 60-70 mph (95-112 km/h), may blast the Hebrides of Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland islands.
Scattered power cuts and tree damage can result, as well as disruptions to rail, air and ferry services. This includes in Belfast, Glasgow and Plymouth.
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The front will continue to advance eastward with the majority of the rain reaching eastern England, including London, on Monday night. Winds will not be as strong as across southeastern Britain, but there can still be gusts between 35 and 40 mph (55 and 65 km/h).
The winds will make holding onto brollies very difficult.
The rain accompanying the front across the U.K. on Monday and Monday night is not anticipated to cause widespread flooding with rain totals largely remaining under 25 mm (an inch). However, any downpours could lead to slower travel as motorists would be faced with reduced visibility and a heightened risk of vehicles hydroplaning.
Scattered showers, which can turn wintry in the hills, will follow Monday’s front on Tuesday.
Colder air from Scandinavia should then spread across the U.K. at midweek. While frosty nights should unfold, the cold may work to prevent a storm set to arrive around Thursday from making too much eastward progress across the U.K.