Net Weather Alert - No 001017;

[johnholmes]

We are upgrading our Weather Watch to an Alert for Severe Gales

Level 2

Confidence is 80%

Areas affected

Northern Ireland, all of Scotland, including the western and northern Isles along with northern England, including the Irish Sea fringes and its high ground as far south as the Peak District.

The low predicted for the storms is on track, and expected into sea area Rockall by 1200Z Friday and then moving east to go into the North Sea south of Shetland during Saturday.

Severe south to south west gales will be affecting Northern Ireland by or a little before Friday early afternoon. This wind strength will spread to the areas mentioned by Friday night. Speeds of 40-50 mph with gusts 60-70 mph are expected and may be 10-15mph higher than this in exposed places. Over the far north, the outer Isles gusts in excess of 90 mph are possible.

Trees may be uprooted and some structural damage could also occur to property.

As the winds swing more westerly as the low itself transfers east another area of concern develops. The Forth-Clyde valley conurbation. Wind strengths as quoted above are possible.

Further south, in the areas indicated, wind speeds of 30-40mph with gusts over 60mph are more likely as far south as the Humber to north Wales during the evening and first part of the night.

Overnight and into Saturday the wind will swing even further round. In most areas speeds will begin to decrease but in parts of the north of these areas speeds of 35-55mph with gusts 20mph above this may occur for a time.

All areas should be mostly below warning limits by Saturday afternoon.

Heavy rain will swing south as the cold front moves south, clearing the south east by late Friday evening.

Totals are unlikely to reach Alert limits (15-25mm per 3 hour totals) but with rivers already high some may again overflow.

As the cold air comes south, especially during Saturday a brief fall of snow is probable over the Scottish mountains, chiefly over the Highland region, above about 2,000 feet. Amounts mostly small.

For information on possible flooding problems please see the list of web sites below.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subje...d/floodwarning/

http://www.sepa.org.uk/flooding/warnings/index.aspx

for Northern Ireland only a list of emergency telephone numbers at the moment

http://www.riversagencyni.gov.uk/rivers/fl...hotocontact.htm

Please stay in touch with Net Weather and Radio and TV channels.