1 week Ago By Philip Bradfield
The intense weather system is due to Storm Ashley, with the Met Office having issued a Yellow Weather Warning across Northern Ireland for high winds for almost 24 hours - from 3am to midnight on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey told the News Letter: "A ‘Weather bomb’ is an unofficial term for a low pressure system and not one used by the Met Office." The Met Office says of the phenomena: "In certain circumstances, the central pressure inside an area of low pressure can fall at a very rapid rate.
These are known as ‘bombs’ and violent winds can develop around the system." Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. "Rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream high up in the atmosphere can remove air from the column, reducing its weight and so causing pressure to fall at sea level.
Advertisement Advertisement "This in turn sucks in air which converges from surrounding regions resulting in faster and faster rotation of the circulation, in the same way that ice skaters spin faster by drawing their arms in. "The resulting winds peak over a period of a few hours and can be strong enough to bring down trees and cause structural damage." Storm Ashley will bring a windy period across the whole of the UK on Sunday and into Monday, and there is an increased chance of disruption across parts of Scotland , Northern Ireland, northwest England and northwest Wales .
Advertisement Advertisement The Met Office warning covers all of Scotland and predicted winds of up to 80mph in western regions, as well as areas of north-west England, Carlisle and Bangor, in Wales, as well as Northern Ireland. The agency warned of a “small chance” of danger to life from flying debris and large waves on the coast, and that some roads and bridges could close, with the possibility of cancellations to trains and flights. Strong south to southeasterly winds are likely to develop through Sunday morning, with gusts of 50-60 mph possible in some inland areas, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland; these may reach 60-70 mph along exposed coasts and hills.
The wind direction will then turn southwesterly, with a period of "especially strong winds" possible on Sunday afternoon and evening across western Scotland..
