Friday afternoon forecast 18/02/22
18 February-National weather forecast presented by Aidan McGivern.
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00:00Hello, at the time of recording, Storm Eunice is battering the UK. Yellow, amber and red
00:06warnings are in force with the worst conditions expected to spread east across the southern
00:10half of the UK during the rest of the day. The satellite image from earlier today shows
00:15Eunice developing rapidly in the Atlantic and this hook on the cloud showing the area
00:20where the strongest winds are now forming initially southwestern parts of the country
00:25and then spreading east across the southern half of the UK through the rest of the day.
00:30Bands of rain ahead of the strongest winds, so actually skies brightening up as we go
00:34into the afternoon but it's within those brighter skies where the strongest winds are to be
00:38found. And this is the wind gust graphic for the next few hours. The key is over there
00:44on the right and you can see these colours indicating widely across the southern half
00:48of the UK, 60-70 mph wind gusts even inland and around coasts. Bristol Channel initially
00:54the risk of 80-90 mph wind gusts and then the focus turns later today into the east
01:00of England where there's the risk of 80-90 mph wind gusts in places, even inland. So
01:06Storm Eunice is a powerful beast, more powerful than a storm we've seen for some time and
01:12that's why we have red warnings in force. The red warning for the Bristol Channel coast
01:16expires by the afternoon but another red warning has been issued for south-east England including
01:22London, the first red warning here. And it's because widely in the amber area 70 mph wind
01:29gusts are expected. So even if you're in the amber area and not the red area, still the
01:33potential for damaging and dangerous wind speeds in places. But in the red area that's
01:38where there's the risk of 70-80 mph wind gusts particularly around coasts, risk of widespread
01:43disruption, risk of damaging wind gusts and a danger to life. The advice is not to travel.
01:50Further north, yellow warnings in force for wind and for snow and for the rest of the
01:54day. The hill snow tends to ease a little but there'll be further accumulating snow
01:59for higher parts of Scotland in particular, showers across Northern Ireland and Northern
02:03England and where we get snow coming through as well as that strong wind, particularly
02:07for the north-east of Scotland, treacherous conditions over the higher ground with blizzards
02:12in places and drifting of lying snow. Further south, brighter skies but strong winds continuing,
02:19widespread gales and it's not really until after dark that those winds begin to properly
02:24relent. It's going to feel cold in the wind, particularly in the north with all of that
02:30showery weather coming through. And after dark, finally, Eunice moves away. So the winds
02:37do start to come down across much of the country. The warnings expire and then there's the risk
02:41of icy patches, some slippery surfaces first thing Saturday across northern parts of the
02:46UK following the showers through the day on Friday. Temperatures falling away as well.
02:51We're looking at zero to two Celsius in the north, two or three further south. Enough
02:56of a wind though to stir things up and prevent a widespread frost. Nevertheless, a bright
03:01start to the day, much less windy compared to Friday morning at first, some sunshine
03:05in the east and the north but in the west and the south, bands of rain move in yet again.
03:11The wind picks up once more. Hill snow for North Wales, the Midlands, the South Pennines
03:16and the risk of 50 mile per hour wind gusts along the coast. There are perhaps 60 in some
03:21exposed spots. So although not on the same scale as Eunice, it certainly won't help and
03:27it could impact any clear up from today's storm. Areas of rain clearing through though
03:33by the end of the afternoon, something a little sunnier coming in from the west for a time
03:38and a little milder as well. But overnight Saturday into Sunday, the next low comes along.
03:44This one following a very different track compared to Eunice. It's heading up towards
03:48the north of the UK and the tightest isobars are affecting northern parts of the country
03:53this time. But you can see tight isobars right across the UK. So Sunday's looking like a
03:57windy day. The wind's picking up through the afternoon and it looks likely that it's northern
04:02areas where we'll see the greatest risk of impacts from gales and gusts of 60, perhaps
04:0770 miles per hour. That's in a couple of days and the focus for Friday is on Storm Eunice.
04:14Warnings in force. Pay heed to those warnings. Stay up to date with advice from local authorities
04:18as well as forecasts from the Met Office.