A Welsh weather forecaster has said there is a 40% chance the sudden stratospheric warming will see temperatures plunge. There have been warnings that the UK could see another Beast from the East after the weather phenomenon happened over the North Pole earlier this month.
The weather condition makes the jet stream "meander" more which in turn can lead to a large area of blocking high pressure over northern Europe. A previous sudden stratospheric warming that lead to the so-called Beast from the East that hit the UK at the start of March 2018 but forecasters says it is still too early to say what the effect will be this year. A similar warming in 2019 didn't bring the same snow.
Rhian Haf said: "The Met Office have been talking about it for quite a while now. It is due to a sudden stratospheric warming really high up in the atmosphere and the westerly winds will change to easterlies. It is not a guarantee but it could bring really cold weather and some snow. At this point it is really hard to tell what will happen. We are thinking there is a 40% chance it could happen at this stage. So by next Monday it could turn much colder and there will be some snow around."
The Met Office long-range forecast for next week says temperatures look set to be "colder than average" for the time of year. The forecast for Friday, March 3, to Sunday, March 12, says: "Into the weekend settled conditions are expected to continue, bringing variable cloud with some clear, sunny spells. Showers mainly along northern and eastern coasts could be wintry across hills.
"Later in the period high pressure is expected to migrate northwestwards, increasing the likelihood of any wintry showers in the north and east. There is a small possibility of more organised rain or snow spreading southwards with the west and northwest most likely to remain under a settled regime. Winds generally light to moderate, possibly becoming stronger in the north. Temperatures generally colder than average with some overnight frost likely."
The Met Office forecast for Wales this week says that it will be "rather cloudy and chilly this week, some sunshine at times". The Wales outlook for the rest of the week says: "High pressure will keep many areas dry albeit often rather cloudy. Sunny intervals are likely at times and some overnight frost is possible if clouds break overnight. Feeling rather chilly."
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