UK climate carnage as 82mph winds smash nation earlier than new Met Office yellow warning

Brits in some places more than others have experienced one hell of a breezy weekend just gone with harsh winds forcing airport chaos but the Met Office still has one warning in place

It’s been real ‘hold onto your hats’ weather(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Wind just keeps on coming for the UK this December. Following the big storms like Darragh earlier this month, corners of the UK just haven’t been able to catch much of a break.

Apparently the weather doesn’t care how much we have to do in preparation for Christmas on Wednesday, because getting about has been anything but straight forward for many.

That’s thanks in no small part to winds that clocked in over the weekend at 82mph, delaying flyers from London Heathrow Airport but more worryingly, forcing a ‘hard landing’ over at Belfast City Airport.

Yesterday, an Aer Lingus regional flight operated by Emerald Airlines, was so affected by the high winds, the nose wheel collapsed on landing. Fortunately just four members of crew were onboard at the time, Mirror reports

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Flight delays rocked travellers’ plans over the weekend(Image: Tony Kershaw / SWNS)

Down in Heathrow, the airport confirmed around 100 flights were cancelled on Sunday, and passengers would be best advised to check with their airline before travelling. The Met Office yellow warnings for wind ran from 7am on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday, after days of nightmare travel conditions.

A new yellow warning is currently in place by the Met Office, this time for ice in parts of north-east Scotland until 10am today.

The forecaster’s advice for Scots affected, reads: “Keep yourself and your family safe when it is icy. Plan to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal. Not needing to rush, reduces your risk of accidents, slips, and falls.

“If you need to make a journey on foot, try to use pavements along main roads which are likely to be less slippery. Similarly, if cycling, try and stick to main roads which are more likely to have been treated.”

Waves crash over the lighthouse at the end of the breakwater on December 18, 2024 in Newhaven, England(Image: Getty Images)

So what about Christmas Day itself?

Well, hopefully your activities are exciting enough because don’t go expecting that festive feeling from the weather.

Giving a forecast for the big day, Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said: “Temperatures should rise considerably and it will be extremely mild over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

“In England and Wales, temperatures will be well above average with some grey in the mix.

“We’re expecting an average of around 12C or 13C on Christmas Eve and 11C or 12C on Christmas Day. The usual average for this time of year is 7C or 8C so we’ll be around double where we usually are.

“Overnight temperatures in Scotland for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be extremely mild.”

As we look further ahead, attention begins to turn to snow.

That’s an awful lot of cold coming our way(Image: Met Office)

According to WX Charts, which uses Met Desk data, snow is expected to start falling at 6pm on December 31, painting the weather models in hues of purple, white, and blue – indicating significant snowfall accumulations.

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For others not getting the white stuff, meteorologists warn of a “grey” Christmas with warmer temperatures but looming, gloomy, clouds, many people might worry about sudden rain showers ruining their day.

Some parts of the UK are likely to see downpours throughout the day as a result of this unusually mild weather, but most should be able to escape any Christmas Day showers. The Met Office’s rainfall forecast for December 25 shows light rain blanketing parts of north west and southern Scotland in the morning, while much of England is set for a clear start. While some in parts of northern England, particularly around Kendal in the north west, can expect the occasional light shower, with precipitation under 0.5mm.

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