The Met Office has painted a sodden picture for Britain this weekend, with weather maps turning a deep blue as a band of low pressure brings widespread downpours and powerful gusts exceeding 50mph.
A Soggy and Windy Saturday
Striking meteorological charts reveal a spectrum of blue, yellow, and orange hues sweeping across the nation, indicating that rain will be widespread for most of Saturday. The Midlands is expected to bear the brunt of the heaviest and most persistent rainfall. As the day progresses, parts of the East of England will feel the full force of the low pressure system during the evening.
Despite air temperatures rising to around 13C in Devon and 12C in parts of south Wales—a noticeable increase from the recent cold snap—the fierce wind will make it feel much colder. Forecasters are urging Brits to continue wrapping up warm.
Flooding Concerns and Ongoing Disruption
There is significant concern that the combination of heavy rain and thawing ice in some rural areas could lead to localised flooding. The Met Office has highlighted specific areas for concern, including the River Lugg south of Leominster in Herefordshire.
Meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth elaborated on the risks in a video forecast. "A band of cloud will bring some heavy bursts of rain, particularly across north Wales and parts of the Pennines," she said, adding that this mixed with snow melt "could bring some localised flooding issues by Saturday morning." She described the day as "not particularly pleasant," with temperatures in the southeast struggling at 6C or 7C.
Unsettled Outlook and School Closures
The unsettled weather is set to continue into Sunday, with another band of low pressure moving in from the west, bringing further rain. While westerly winds on Sunday will be strong, they are not expected to be as severe as Saturday's gusts. The south coast, particularly parts of Hampshire and Dorset, will still experience winds of more than 50mph, with significant gusts also expected earlier on the south Wales coast.
The Met Office summary states the UK will remain "unsettled on Sunday and Monday with further spells of rain and showers," with often windy conditions.
This bout of wild weather follows a week of disruption from snow and ice. On Friday, dozens of schools were forced to close their doors. 35 schools in Aberdeenshire were closed, with many more delaying opening times. In Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council reported seven closures, and Carmarthenshire Council confirmed two affected schools, while North Yorkshire Council listed six closures.
