UK weather: Strong winds and torrential rain to sweep Britain in another weekend washout

The UK is set for strong winds that could be in excess of 55mph this weekend along with heavy rain after a cold start on Saturday morning due to Arctic air moving southwards

Brits are set for an icy start to the weekend before more strong winds and torrential rain.

Only last week parts of the UK were enjoying warm weather and blue skies, and over the past few days although there has been a deluge of rain the temperatures haven’t fallen too significantly.

But that has now changed with the mercury overnight expected to have dropped below zero to -2C in Scotland and it will be generally chilly with widespread frost.

The cause is Arctic air sweeping southwards making it feel cold but at least for Saturday morning there should be clear skies and sunshine. Exceptions to the drier conditions will be some showers in northern and eastern coasts, with these sporadically drifting further in land at times.

But the clear skies won’t last and there will be heavy rain, especially on Sunday, and strong winds with a Met office yellow warning in place.

Winds are expected to strengthen from the west during Sunday, with gusts of 50-55mph likely in places and exceeding 60mph in the most exposed areas. There will also be outbreaks of rain, which will be heavy at times, that could lead to surface water and spray on the roads.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley said: “After a drier interlude for many on Friday, Saturday and early Sunday, attention shifts to a deep area of low pressure to the southwest which will bring rain and strong winds to parts of the UK, potentially impactful for some.

“A Yellow warning for wind has been issued for much of Sunday across portions of southwest England and south and west Wales, where gusts could reach or even exceed 60 mph on exposed coasts, and 50-55 mph more widely. This system will gradually track eastwards through Sunday and into Monday and will bring another spell of wet weather fairly widely across the UK.

“We’re continuing to monitor the rainfall with this system, as rain falling on saturated ground in flood-hit areas has the potential to cause further impacts. Stay up to date with the latest forecast as further warnings could be issued in the coming days.”

And the Met Office forecast for Saturday states: "Most places dry with sunny spells. A scattering of showers across northwestern parts, most frequent across Scotland. A rather cold feeling day for many with winds easing."

While the outlook for Sunday to Tuesday reads: "Wet and windy weather slowly moving northeastwards across the UK through Sunday and into Monday, mainly affecting England and Wales. Gradually turning drier and brighter on Tuesday from the west."