Met Office issues update on Atlantic 'weather bomb' as 'damaging winds' forecast

The Met Office has issued an update on a 'weather bomb' that is expected to bring gusty conditions to the UK this weekend.

Forecasters say 'damaging winds' of up to 80mph could hit parts of the UK on Sunday as a deep area of low pressure over the Atlantic intensifies during the weekend. The weather agency has issued a yellow warning for wind covering parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-west England and Wales, which will be in force from 3am on Sunday until noon on Monday.

In an update posted on social media today, the Met Office said: "We're keeping a close eye on developments in the Atlantic Ocean this weekend. An area of low pressure is expected to 'explosively' deepen as it crosses the jet stream and this will bring a period of stormy weather to parts of the British Isles on Sunday."

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The Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist Tony Wisson said the low-pressure system will start to develop on Friday near to the coast of Canada before moving across the Atlantic and arriving to the west of the UK on Sunday.

A Met Office graphic shows the low pressure area moving across the Atlantic as it interacts with jet stream winds approaching 200mph. As the weather system crosses the jet stream it undergoes a rapid intensification, which could bring "damaging winds" to UK shores. In the Met Office's latest 'deep dive' forecast, meteorologist Alex Deakin explained that this process is called "explosive cyclogensis" and can result in what is known as a "weather bomb".

The Met Office describes a weather bomb as "a low pressure system whose central pressure falls 24 millibars in 24 hours in a process known as explosive cyclogenesis". The agency explains on its website: "In certain circumstances, the central pressure inside an area of low pressure can fall at a very rapid rate. These are known as ‘bombs’ and violent winds can develop around the system."

Mr Wisson: "A period of strong south to southeasterly winds will likely develop through Sunday morning, with gusts of 50 to 60mph possible in some inland areas, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland, and perhaps up to 60 to 70mph along exposed coasts and hills.

"Winds will then likely turn southwesterly, with a period of especially strong winds possible during Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70 to 80mph in exposed areas, and more generally 55 to 65mph in other parts of the warning area."

The RAC warned that the strong winds could result in some tricky driving conditions. Alice Simpson, an RAC Breakdown spokesperson, said: "This latest bout of stormy autumnal weather is likely to make driving conditions hazardous this weekend, especially for drivers in the north and west of the UK.

"Strong winds will demand motorists keep a good grip of the steering wheel and allow plenty of space between themselves and the vehicle in front, so they are able to react quickly to whatever they see up ahead.

"We also strongly advise avoiding exposed routes, especially those close to coasts that are likely to see the biggest effects from the gusts and where particularly high spring tides could lead to some roads becoming flooded."