UK Forecast: Severe Frosts Followed By Azores Heat with Possible Hurricane — Grand Solar Minimum
A blast of warm air from the Azores is set push the mercury in the UK to 26C (78.8F) next week.
Amy Hodgson, forecaster for The Weather Channel, said: “High pressure will build from the Atlantic through next week bringing dry and sunny weather.
“Temperatures will be slightly above normal for the time of year across the south of the British Isles, nearer normal across the north and west.”
Chance of a Hurricane?
A tropical wave of low pressure stirring off the coast of Africa could eventually form a storm to rival Ophelia, which battered the UK last October.
Some forecast models in the US are predicting a deep low possibly moving towards Ireland in the next fortnight with a central pressure as strong as 943mb.
Over the next 14 days, we do not normally see the weird tropical cyclones as strong as #Ophelia form in this part of the Northern Atlantic with a central pressure of 943mb, as the same of the equivalent in Category 4 hurricanes. pic.twitter.com/YW62vd6K31
— Joint Cyclone Center (@JointCyclone) August 29, 2018
A tropical wave of low pressure stirring off the coast of #Africa
could eventually form a #storm to rival Ophelia 🌀Some forecast models are predicting the deep low possibly moving towards #Ireland in the next fortnight https://t.co/IRovTnxt3a #Weather #FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/ei3ua1rncM
— The Weather Channel UK (@weather_UK) August 31, 2018
Ophelia, at category three, was the easternmost Atlantic major hurricane on record, and was widely regarded as the worst storm to affect Ireland in 50 years.
It’s still too early to call this latest storm with any kind of certainty, however if current predictions turn out to be correct, it would make the impending storm a category four hurricane.
In the meantime one thing can be nailed on — before all the muggy warmth, and in another example of the GSM’s swings between extremes, Brits have been urged to brace themselves for a few brutally cold nights with severe ground frosts as the mercury plunges to well-below average levels for the time of year.