'Weather Bomb' headed for SW

Weather experts were today tracking the route of a 'Weather Bomb' which is headed for Britain.

The South West was placed on a Yellow Alert for Friday as gusts of up to 70 mph were predicted.

The Met Office said an area of low pressure has the potential to develop in the mid-Atlantic and then run quickly east northeast across the northern half of the UK during the first half of Friday.

To the south of this low pressure centre, gales, or severe gales are likely to develop, with gusts in excess of 50 mph quite widely in the warning area.

Gusts of 60-70 mph may develop in exposed areas, especially along Irish Sea and English Channel coasts.

A period of heavy rain may also make for tricky driving conditions at times, especially across south Wales and southern England.

A spokeswoman said: "This is a complex development and details may yet change. Therefore this alert is likely to be updated in the coming days as confidence grows in track and timing of this system."

She added: “Westerly winds will gust 70mph to 80mph at times and will be combined with exceptionally high waves. The public should be prepared for dangerous conditions, especially along causeways and coastal roads exposed to the west.”

Below is the Met Office five-day forecast:

Feeling cold with brisk westerly winds, and gales across exposed coasts. Sunny spells are expected for most, but also blustery showers. These will be most frequent in the west, with the best of the sunshine in the east. Maximum Temperature 10C.

Tonight:
Remaining cold and windy, with the mixture of blustery showers and clearer spells continuing. Gale, possibly severe, are likely across the exposed western coasts. Minimum Temperature 3C.

Thursday:
Windy with showers at first. These ease, before cloud and rain spreads in from the southwest. Winds strengthening after dark, with gales turning severe along the south coast. Maximum Temperature 10C.

Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
Cold with brisk northwesterly winds, and further showers on Friday, perhaps wintry over hills. These easing through the weekend with plenty of sunny spells, and also turning less cold.

WHAT IS A WEATHER BOMB?

A 'weather bomb' is not a perfect meteorological term but is defined as an intense low pressure system with a central pressure that falls 24 millibars in a 24-hour period.

A better description can be more directly linked to the meteorological phenomena known as rapid or explosive cyclogenesis.

This is where dry air from the stratosphere flows into an area of low pressure. This causes air within the depression to rise very quickly and increases its rotation, which in turn deepens the pressure and creates a more vigorous storm.