Two huge storms are forecast to batter many parts of the UK this week with London and the south of England set to bear the brunt of the severe conditions from tomorrow.
And Scotland looks likely to receive a second storm battering on Thursday and Friday as yet another massive destructive weather system heads in from the North Atlantic.
The UK Met Office has this afternoon extended its severe weather warning for the capital and areas of the south of England for Monday and Tuesday as the first huge Atlantic storm looks set to crash in on Monday evening.
Forecasters are warning of strong winds and torrential rain that have the potential to cause flooding and travel disruption.
A second, much larger storm, is now forecast to affect the entire country from next Thursday, bringing with it severe gales and worsening conditions.
Current weather models predict winds well in excess of 80mph will sweep across the entire UK on Friday afternoon - winds are classified as hurricane-force from 74mph.
A yellow severe warning alert issued at lunchtime today warned the entire west coast of the UK would be affected as the monster storm sweeps in from the Atlantic.
The advisory, which is valid from 6pm on December 15, currently warns: “Rapidly strengthening winds and heavy rain are likely to arrive across the west later on Thursday, heralding another potentially stormy period.
“The public is advised to monitor warnings for this period, noting that the alert is likely to be extended into Friday in due course.”
Meteorologists say the current spate of extreme wet and windy conditions are as a result of freak conditions in the upper atmosphere over the North Atlantic Ocean.
Forecaster Tim Ballisty of Atlanta-based weather.com explained that while the UK was in the icy grip of the Big Freeze this time last year, this year a shift in atmospheric conditions meant the country would be prone to more extreme weather and Atlantic storms.
He explained: “In 2011, there was what was known as the 'Greenland Block' that virtually created a traffic jam in the atmosphere – the Arctic air that normally progresses from West to East was forced to plunged Southward and created the Big Freeze across much of the northern hemisphere, including the East Coast of the US and much of Europe.
“However this year, there is no 'Greenland Block' so these weather systems can freely pass from West to East unobstructed and gather destructive power on their way across the ocean.
“These storms are all part of the seasonal change and look very likely to continue.”
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