Powerful jet stream to bring widespread gales

A stormy spell of weather is expected across parts of the UK in the next 36 hours, as the jet stream reaches speeds of around 250mph.

Northern Scotland will experience the highest surface wind speeds, with gusts possibly in excess of 100mph later tonight.

Even the more populated central belt of Scotland may experience gusts around 80mph for a time.

Widespread gales will develop in our region too, with gusts on Friday morning reaching 60mph – but as high as 70mph in the most exposed spots.

With gale force winds expected again on Friday night and into Saturday morning, it’s likely to be the stormiest spell of winter so far.

It is not, though, unusual in a typical British winter to be affected by a powerful jet stream, and in parts of Yorkshire, gusts of this magnitude happen several times each year.

Current indications suggest that there’s likely to be very little change in the overall unsettled westerly type of weather conditions which may last at least into the second half of January.