UK weather warning: 'Danger to life' alert for 90mph gales as flooding fears grow
A DANGER to life alert was issued by the Met Office, as 90mph winds are set to batter the nation on Monday.
The warning was in place from 12 am to 12 pm on Monday and the Met Office said that flying debris caused by the winds could cause injuries and danger to life. A yellow wind warning was in place for northern parts of Scotland. The strongest winds were from a westerly or southwesterly direction and could have reached up to 90mph in some locations.
THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.
Additional reporting by Olivia Stringer.
End of live coverage
That's the end of our live coverage on the weather warnings as the Met Office has removed its weather warnings.
Five flood alerts issued
The Government has issued five flood alerts for the UK.
This means that flooding is possible.
Flood alerts are in place for:
Little Ouse River and River Thet in Suffolk and Norfolk
River Lugg south of Leominster
River Severn in Shropshire
Severn Vyrnwy confluence
Tern and Perry catchments
Britain set for winter heat wave
The UK is set for a 'winter heat wave' this week with temperatures as high a 14 degrees.
These temperatures are very unusual for this time of year and match those of the South of France.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services said: “We are about to get a sub-tropical airflow starting on Saturday, and we could see temperatures in the south reaching 14C.
“This is air coming in from Spain and the Azores Islands, and while a cold front will come in after the weekend, the generally mild weather will hold out for about a week."
Outbreaks of rain across Wales and northern England this afternoon
The Met Office has reported that there will be outbreaks of rain across Wales and northern England this afternoon.
In the south there will be cloudy but warm conditions.
A north, south split across the country on #Mondayafternoon with the best of the weather reserved for northern areas with sunny spells and showers\ud83c\udf25\ufe0f\ud83c\udf26\ufe0f
\u2014 Met Office (@metoffice) December 13, 2021
Outbreaks of #rain across #Wales and northern England \ud83c\udf27\ufe0f gives way to cloudy but warm conditions across the south\u2601\ufe0f\u2601\ufe0f\ud83c\udf21\ufe0f pic.twitter.com/4y4Mr62gAD
Third of young Britons not confident at driving in wintry conditions
A new study by vehicle insurance broker, Adrian Flux shows that 34 percent of 17-24-year-old drivers are not confident in wintry conditions.
48 percent of those surveyed said they were not confident driving in icy conditions while 35 percent said they lacked confidence driving in snow.
Scott Goodliffe, Product and Underwriting Manager for Adrian Flux said: “Government data shows that rain, sleet, snow or fog accounted for 1,330 accidents on British roads in 2020. Of external factors affecting driver vision, this was only surpassed by stationary or parked vehicles and dazzling sun.
“That’s why it’s so important to draw awareness to the dangers of driving in these conditions as we enter the winter season, especially amongst younger drivers who may be encountering winter weather for the first time or have limited experience in this area.”
UK to be battered by six storms this winter
The UK is set to be battered by six storms this winter and snow by the end of 2021.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services told The Sun: “We are expecting one more major storm this month which will set the trend for coming months.
“We expect five to six storms to hit through the winter period which could be severe enough to warrant naming.”
Netweather.tv has also predicted that there is 'potential for some snow' between December 27 and January 2.
Temperatures above average in the south today
The Met Office has said that temperatures on Monday are above average for this time of the year in the south.
Further north conditions will be much cooler and closer to the temperatures expected at this time of year.
Feeling very mild for the time of year with temperatures above average in the south today. Colder further north with temperatures much closer to the seasonal normal for early #December\ud83c\udf21\ufe0f\ud83c\udf21\ufe0f pic.twitter.com/1NgFMVAGUj
\u2014 Met Office (@metoffice) December 13, 2021
How to stay safe before a storm
The Met Office has stated that between 1962 and 1995, 184 deaths were caused by building failures resulting from wind.
It has issued advice on how to prepare for windy conditions.
The advice includes:
Securing loose objects such as ladders
Closing and securely fastening doors and windows
Parking vehicles in the garage
Closing and securing loft trapdoors with bolts.
What to expect from today's gales
The Met Office has issued advice on what to expect from today's windy conditions.
It has warned that there is risk of injury and danger to life from flying debris.
It has also warned that there is a possibility of damage to buildings, for example, tiles coming off roofs.
Power cuts could also occur and roads and bridges may close.
Track the latest weather conditions here
Track the latest weather conditions with this live interactive map.
The strongest winds will affect northern parts of Scotland.
Good morning
Good morning, I'm Olivia Stringer and I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on the weather, for the next eight hours. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.
Email: olivia.stringer@reachplc.com
Twitter: @Livstringer_