UK Braces for Heavy Rainfall and 70mph Winds as Storm Kathleen Approaches
The UK is preparing for the onslaught of heavy rain and winds reaching speeds of up to 70mph as Storm Kathleen approaches. Wet and blustery conditions are forecasted to sweep in on Friday, persisting into Saturday, with potential travel disruptions expected as a result of the inclement weather.
Central Scotland is likely to bear the brunt of the heavy downpours, prompting the Met Office to issue a yellow weather warning for rain from Friday, starting at 2 am and lasting until 9 am. Anticipated rainfall of 15-25mm, with localized areas experiencing up to 35mm overnight, could lead to flooding concerns in affected regions.
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst remarked, “We have heavy rain advancing north and east across the country overnight Thursday into Friday morning.” However, he added that the rain is expected to taper off by late Friday morning, though scattered showers may persist throughout the day, particularly in northern areas.
Despite the stormy conditions, southeastern parts of England may experience occasional sunny intervals, with temperatures reaching highs of 18°C. However, residents in central and northern Scotland should brace for snowfall, especially in higher elevation areas, with accumulations of up to 10cm possible above 300 meters.
In addition to the precipitation, a yellow warning for wind has been issued for Saturday, spanning from 8 am to 10 pm, encompassing western regions of Scotland, Wales, and parts of northwestern and southwestern England. Wind gusts of 60-70mph are expected along coastal areas, with inland areas likely to experience gusts of 40-50mph.
Storm Kathleen, named by the Irish Meteorological Service Met Eireann, marks the 11th named storm within an eight-month period. Remarkably, it is only the second time in the UK storm season that a storm has reached the letter ‘K’ in the naming sequence.