New weather warnings issued

The Met Office has issued National Severe Weather Warnings for this weekend as Storm Bert prepares to hit the UK, bringing a mix of heavy rain, snow, and strong winds to large parts of the country.

Wintry showers will linger in northern parts of the UK on Friday before a brief spell of high pressure brings a drier and brighter end to the week. Despite the respite, temperatures will remain chilly, peaking at just 7–8°C.

From Friday night into Saturday morning, Storm Bert will begin to impact Northern Ireland before spreading to Scotland, north Wales, and northern England.

The storm is expected to bring heavy snowfall, especially over higher ground.

Rain will spread across southwest and southern England during Saturday, becoming heavier and more persistent overnight and into Sunday. Rainfall totals of 50–75 mm are expected widely, with some areas, such as Dartmoor, potentially seeing up to 150 mm.

The combination of heavy rain and snowmelt increases the risk of flooding in affected regions.

Gusts of 50–60 mph are anticipated in many areas under warning, with exposed coastal regions of Northern Ireland and western Scotland possibly experiencing winds in excess of 70 mph.

Storm Bert will linger into Monday before finally clearing. Strong winds and showers will continue to dominate the forecast early next week, keeping conditions feeling colder than average. Beyond midweek, a brief return to drier and colder weather is possible, though rain is expected to return to western regions later.