It’s been a busy time in the weather office this week with storm Barney bringing severe gales on Wednesday. It was the worst storm to hit Wales so far this autumn with wind gusts of 50 to over 80mph. The highest gust recorded was 85mph at Aberdaron on the Llŷn Peninsula.
Steve Nelmes
This month has been exceptionally mild but it’s finally turning colder on Friday. The reason for the drop in temperature is a change in wind direction with north-westerly wind bringing Arctic air southwards. The wind is going to a big feature of our weather tonight and tomorrow with a Met Office warning of gales covering much of Wales. Some large waves are also likely on the north and west coast but with neap tides!
Warnings aside, wintry showers are also likely from Friday night with a mix of rain, hail, sleet and snow in places. Most of the snow will fall on high ground with a few centimetres likely by tomorrow morning on some of the hills and mountains, including the Brecon Beacons.
Met Office Pressure Chart - November 20
Saturday will bring a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers - most of the showers will be in the west, heavy in places with wintery hail at times. Higher ground may see a little snow.
Temperatures will be much lower than we’ve been used for a long time, reaching highs of only 4 to 7°C and it will feel bitterly cold in the strong wind, more like -14°C on Pen y Fan and -17°C on the summit of Snowdon!
Sarah Canton
The wind will ease on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night will be calmer with a mix of clear spells and showers. Inland temperatures will fall close to freezing with some frost and icy patches on untreated roads. On Sunday a few more showers are likely, mainly in the west, but there will be plenty of dry and bright weather as well. Temperatures will still be on the cold side reaching 6 to 9°C with light winds.
So… the thermals will come in handy this weekend, the coldest weekend of the autumn so far, but the cold snap won’t last long! Next week will turning milder again with more rain on Monday.
