Met Office issues weather alert as 'jet stream' brings risk of damaging winds

The Met Office has issued a warning regarding a "period of stormy weather" anticipated to affect parts of the UK this Sunday. Forecasters are closely monitoring developments in the Atlantic Ocean, where a low-pressure system is expected to "explosively" deepen.

The Met Office predicts that winds of up to 80 mph could strike various regions of the UK on Sunday. A yellow wind warning has been issued for areas in North-west England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, effective from 3 a.m. on Sunday until noon on Monday, October 21. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Met Office stated, “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, bringing a period of stormy weather to parts of the British Isles on Sunday.”

A graphic shared by the Met Office illustrates the low-pressure area traversing the Atlantic, interacting with jet stream winds that approach 200 mph. As the weather system crosses the jet stream, it may unleash "damaging winds" along UK shores. In the Met Office's latest "deep dive" forecast, meteorologist Alex Deakin explained that this phenomenon is referred to as "explosive cyclogenesis," which can lead to a so-called "weather bomb." The Met Office defines a "weather bomb" as a low-pressure system whose central pressure drops 24 millibars within 24 hours due to explosive cyclogenesis. They added, “In certain circumstances, the central pressure in a low-pressure area can fall rapidly, leading to what are known as ‘bombs,’ which can generate violent winds around the system.”

Tony Wisson, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, remarked, “This low-pressure system is not expected to develop until Friday near the coast of Canada, so there is still considerable uncertainty about its strength and path as it interacts with the jet stream over the weekend. It’s likely that parts of Ireland will experience effects before the UK.”

He concluded, “Currently, a windy period is anticipated across the entire UK on Sunday and into Monday, but regions such as Scotland, Northern Ireland, North-west England, and North-west Wales face a higher likelihood of experiencing disruptions.”