UK weather forecast: 'Powerful jet stream' triggered by Arctic air to pummel Britain with strong winds, rain and falling temperatures

‘It’s something we’re keeping a close eye,’ says Met Office

Forecasters have warned heavy rain and gale force winds could hit the UK next week as a powerful jet stream moves in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Met Office experts revealed Hurricane Leslie would have some influence on weather patterns over the British Isles from the middle of the week.

The category 1 hurricane is currently raging in the middle of the Atlantic and is not expected to drift eastwards.

But the meeting of the hurricane’s tropical air and a wave of freezing air from the Arctic will fuel a “powerful” jet stream heading for the UK, according to the Met Office.

“It’s something we’re keeping a close eye on,” Met Office meteorologist Dean Hall told The Independent.

“The jet stream is currently meandering towards us. It’s not unusual, but the strength of its influence… can be quite vigorous.”

Forecasters are not yet sure how strong the gusts could be as the jet stream’s low pressure area affects western parts of the UK from 10 October. The Met Office is warning of the risk of “strong to gale force winds” from Wednesday through to the following Friday.

“Wind and rain is on the way,” warned Met Office forecaster Aidan McGivern.

“The further northwest you are the windier and wetter it’s likely to be. The further southeast you are the warmer and drier it will be, occasionally. We’re all likely to have some unsettled weather, at times.”

Temperatures in the southeast are set to fall slightly from from possible mid-week highs of 23C to 20C by Friday. Cooler temperatures are expected in the southeast the following week.

In the short term, more wet weather is expected for much of the country. The rain currently affecting the southeast will move northward overnight, bringing wet weather to Scotland and Northern Ireland on Sunday.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for western Scotland, predicting heavy and persistent rain on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Possible flooding on the roads could make journey times longer.

People in the southeast will enjoy a dry and sunny spell on Monday and Tuesday, before more unsettled weather arrives on Wednesday.