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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Fasika Zelealem & Ben Hurst

Britain to be hit by downpours and gales as 'big beast' weather vortex hits

Britain is set to be hit by a wave of dropping temperatures and downpours as a ‘big beast’ weather system moves in. Currently the country which is sodden has 30 Environment Agency flood warnings in place and 83 flood alerts.

Nottingham is set for heavy rain all day on Tuesday, January 9, with strong winds gusting at about 22mph and unsettled weather persisting for the rest of the week. The Met Office says: “Remaining unsettled for the rest of the week, with outbreaks of rain and showers interspersed with drier, brighter periods. Temperatures generally around average, but with some chilly nights.”

The massive low-pressure vortex described as a “big beast” is about to wedge itself off the west coast and is set to bring in stormy weather fronts in from the Atlantic, the Star reports. The Met Office has warned that later in the month from January 13 - 22 there will be periods of gales, rain and heavy rain, with some snow in the north and colder temperatures in general.

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Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “This area of low pressure is a big beast, but it is a slow-moving creature. There will be some heavy downpours thunder and hail but some bright spells in between and coastal gales in the west.

“We are seeing some interesting stuff come our way from Scandinavia, very cold air moves around a huge area of low pressure and comes in from the northwest via Iceland. This very cold air moves over warm seas, so there will be a lot of heavy downpours especially in the west, and temperatures will be dropping.

Nottingham is set to be hit by rain and gales as 'big beast' vortex hits (Nottingham Post)

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “It will feel cold in the north with the windchill as returning Polar maritime air comes into Britain. This will have travelled over the sea, so it will pick up moisture and bring the risk of rain, although there will be some brighter spells.”

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