‘Unseasonably strong winds’ expected in UK later this week

By Danielle Desouza, PA

Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK will face “unseasonably” strong winds later this week, with forecasters warning of 45mph gusts as the remnants of a tropical storm lash the country.

The Met Office said that Thursday will see ex-tropical storm Alex bringing high winds in areas of the UK.

Storm Alex caused disruption across Florida, producing heavy rainfall over the weekend in several regions, including Miami, which reportedly experienced 5.24in of rain.

From Thursday, weaker rain will move from west to east, with ex-tropical storm Alex bringing low pressure.

On Friday, winds will begin to strengthen across the UK and some showers are to move into the western parts of the UK, particularly the north-west of the UK, which includes Northern Ireland, western Scotland and parts of northern England.

Oli Claydon, a Met Office spokesperson said: “The wind is the main part of the story – unseasonably strong winds for the time of year.

“We could see gusts of up to 45mph through Friday.

"Those sorts of wind speeds will be fairly confined to the far north-west of the UK, but as the low pressure goes over the north of the UK through Saturday, a wider area of the north of the UK could see those sorts of wind speeds.

“It will be windy everywhere across the UK, but the further south you go, the less influence the low pressure will have.”

Mr Claydon added that the ex-storm will largely lose its strength as it progresses into the weekend and that “it doesn’t have its regular tropical properties in terms of strength”.

This evening, however, a band of rain is set to move in from the south-west of the UK, which will bring rain to most areas of the UK tomorrow and then give way to winds when ex-tropical storm Alex takes over on Thursday.