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Weather forecast UK today – Gale force winds to BATTER Britain overnight before 72-hour snow blast hits THIS WEEKEND
BRITAIN will be hit by an Arctic blast this month – just days after Storm Wanda brings torrential downpours and a risk of flooding to the UK.
Forecasters predict a three day flurry of snow will move in from November 14 and will continue for 72 hours – with as much as 2.5cm of snow expected to fall per day.
But before the white stuff hits, the aftermath of ferocious tropical storm Wanda will see Britain under a washout from next Tuesday.
Met Office forecaster Dan Harris told the Mirror: "Tropical Storm Wanda is not too far from the UK – and may indirectly influence the forecast early next week."
The Met Office has already placed a yellow weather warning for wind across northern and eastern Scotland from 8pm last night until 5pm today.
Read our UK weather live blog below for the latest info & updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Winter is coming
Brits elsewhere won't escape the freeze, as the cold weather front continues to move across the UK towards the end of the month and moving into December.
The Met Office also warned to expect "wintry conditions, especially across the north" in their long range forecast.
Forecasters suggested this Sunday will begin the bout of chillier weather, despite the milder temperatures this week.
Millions will see heavy rain and blustery winds thanks to the fall-out from a tropical storm.
Storm Wanda may influence the type of weather we'll see in the coming days and over the weekend.
- Joseph Gamp
Cold front to grip Britain from November 20
A cold front is expected to move in around November 20, before three days of snow take hold, according to the latest WXCharts.
AccuWeather's senior meteorologist, Tyler Ros, told the Express: "The threat for snow between November 17-22 looks to be around normal for the time of the year, which is any accumulating snow is likely to occur in the higher elevations of northern England and Scotland.
"We do have to watch a cold snap that appears to move into eastern Europe early next week.
"If this bleeds westward towards the UK (with the core of the cold remaining in eastern Europe), then the temperatures will be near to slightly below normal during this stretch.
"This then would fire up some North Sea Sea Effect showers coming in from the east," the expert European forecaster warned.
"If the hills are cold enough in northern England and in Scotland, these showers are more likely to be wintry."
- Joseph Gamp
Friday to be 'largely cloudy and windy' says Met Office
Friday will see more dull and dreary weather hit the UK, according to the Met Office.
The weather agency tweeted: "Friday will be a largely cloudy and #windy day
"Outbreaks of showery #rain, heavy in the northwest, will move eastwards across the UK."
- Joseph Gamp
Remembrance weekend weather forecast
This Remembrance weekend looks to be a dry and cloudy one with the rain looking set to come just before Saturday.
The Met Office have said there will be ‘outbreaks’ of rain on Friday and the weekend looks to be a ‘mild’ one.
“Breezy with outbreaks of rain on Friday, heaviest in the northwest. Over the weekend, cloudy in the east with some drizzle, brighter in the west. Mild, turning colder later.”
- Joseph Gamp
How much is the energy price cap?
The current energy price cap is £1,277 a year.
If you divide that by 12, that’s £106.41 a month – so over the six months from mid-October to mid-April would be £638.50.
However, the figure is actually likely to be higher because households typically use the bulk of their energy in the winter months.
Direct debits spread the cost over the year so you’re technically paying for energy you don’t use in the summer, but you aren’t landed with a shock bill come winter.
- Joseph Gamp
Look ahead to December
There will be colder spells coming towards the UK the Met Office have said with an increased chance of ‘wintry conditions’
“Towards the end of November and into early December there are signs of an increased likelihood of north to northwesterly winds.
“This means that overall temperatures are likely to be near or slightly below average, although some milder spells cannot be ruled out.
“In such patterns the most unsettled, wetter and windier conditions are often found across northern areas, while the most settled, driest and brightest conditions are predominantly across the south.
“There is a slightly higher than normal chance of some wintry conditions, especially across the north.”
- Joseph Gamp
Bookies slash odds for coldest November on record
Bookies have slashed the odds on this being the coldest November ever, from 3-1 to just 50-4.
"We are headed for a big November freeze," said Coral's Harry Aitkenhead.
"It's left us with no choice but to significantly slash the odds on this month entering the record books as the coldest eleventh month of the year the UK has ever seen."
- Joseph Gamp
Can I get my boss to pay my heating bill for working from home?
If staff have been told to work from home because of severe weather conditions, however, employers are not bound by law to reimburse workers for costs such as heating, lighting and broadband.
However, you may be able to claim tax relief for additional household costs if you have to work at home on a regular basis.
You can either claim tax relief on £6 a week from April 6, 2020, or the exact amount of the extra costs you’ve incurred above the weekly amount – but you’ll need evidence such as a receipt, bills or contracts.
Meanwhile, if bad weather stops you from getting to work, it is largely down to your contract of employment whether you will get paid.
- Joseph Gamp
Six inches of snow could fall on November 26
Meteorologists have suggested up to six inches of snow will fall on November 26 as temperatures tumble below average, according to WXCharts.
The bitter chill is set to kick in towards the end of the month, when Brits can expect to see more wintry conditions arriving.
Scotland will bear the brunt of the frostiness, with those in the Highlands expected to see temperatures of around -7C.
Local residents in Portree, Fort William and Inverness could be buried in half a foot of snow before the cold weather moves through England and Wales.
Those in Newcastle and the north east of England have been warned they will have to wrap up, as temperatures fall to -2C.
Brits elsewhere won't escape the freeze, as the cold weather front continues to move across the UK towards the end of the month and moving into December.
- Joseph Gamp
Storm Blas to bring more unsettled weather to Europe
The Met Office tweeted: "Storm Blas will continue to bring very unsettled weather to the western Mediterranean over the coming days
"The Balearics and parts of Italy are most likely to see impacts.
"Flash flooding, large waves and lightning will likely cause disruption and damage in these areas."
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Put a coat on!
A developmental therapist has revealed her best tip to get kids into their winter gear before heading out the door.
The expert, Kayla O'Neill, says it all has to do with how you motivate your kids.
Rather than simply begging them to put on their winter coats because you’ve got things to do and places to be, Kayla, who is also a mom of small children, says you need to pique your child's interest.
In her video posted to TikTok, she suggested asking kids to have a race to “see who can get dressed first.”
“When logic isn’t working, try incorporating play,” she suggested.
“That’s the language kids speak.”
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Can I get my boss to pay my heating bill for working from home?
If staff have been told to work from home because of severe weather conditions, however, employers are not bound by law to reimburse workers for costs such as heating, lighting and broadband.
However, you may be able to claim tax relief for additional household costs if you have to work at home on a regular basis.
You can either claim tax relief on £6 a week from April 6, 2020, or the exact amount of the extra costs you’ve incurred above the weekly amount – but you’ll need evidence such as a receipt, bills or contracts.
Meanwhile, if bad weather stops you from getting to work, it is largely down to your contract of employment whether you will get paid.
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Can I leave work if its too cold?
Getting to work during the winter months can become a challenge, with slippery roads and icy train tracks making the commute a dangerous affair.
In the past, these issues have often led to people taking the day off – but with remote working now the norm thanks to the Covid pandemic, many with continue to log on from home no matter the weather.
But for some whose jobs can't be done from home, it's key to know what their employer expects when bad weather hits, and what their rights are.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, employers always have a duty of care to ensure their workers are safe and this becomes even more important when the weather turns cold.
While there is no minimum workplace temperature that must legally be met, this does include everything from providing appropriate clothing to help them stay warm to ensuring the workspace is safe and free from slip hazards, for example.
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Top tips for avoiding a cold this winter
1. Wearing a mask when out in public
2. Using hand sanitiser frequently
3. Eating immune boosting foods like oranges and spinach
4. Staying in as much as possible
5. Avoiding busy public areas like supermarkets
6. Avoiding public transport
7. Getting extra sleep
8. Drinking lots of water
9. Washing your hands frequently
10. Staying warm
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Where can I get help with my bills?
There are schemes to support people who are struggling to pay for their electricity and gas bills.
When the temperature drops some households are eligible for cold weather payments.
Low income households can get up to £140 towards their electricity bills with the government’s warm home discount scheme.
The government has also announced a household support fund for this winter – contact your local council for more details on how to get a grant.
You can save money on your energy bill by turning off appliances – these are the seven worst to leave on standby and wearing a jumper could slash £400 a year from your energy bills.
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What happens next for Utility Warehouse customers?
Energy companies are supposed to look after their customers, particularly those in tricky situations such as debt.
Utility Warehouse will have to pay £1.5million to Ofgem’s redress fund for charities, but customers won’t be offered compensation.
Ofgem said it is satisfied that the company has made the necessary changes.
In future, though, you can complain if you believe a supplier is treating you unfairly.
You should complain directly to the company before moving it on to the energy ombudsman if they don’t reply.
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Energy fail (continued)
Utility Warehouse didn't always take into account customers’ ability to pay when calculating regular installments as required, the regulator said.
Customers were not consistently offered the option of paying back charges via the voluntary installation of a pre-payment meter or offered energy efficiency advice on how to reduce their bills.
In some cases, this led to the unnecessary installation of pre-payment meters under warrant, the investigation found.
Cathryn Scott, director of enforcement and emerging Issues at Ofgem, said: “Energy suppliers are required to look after their customers, especially those in vulnerable situations.
“Between 2013-2019, Utility Warehouse failed to take the necessary steps to treat some customers in payment difficulty fairly, depriving them of the opportunity to manage their energy debt and ongoing energy costs."
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Energy fail
Energy supplier Utility Warehouse has paid out £1.5million after failing to support struggling customers.
The company didn't consistently offer help, such as debt repayment plans, to customers who were behind on their bills.
This left some customers disadvantaged, energy regulator Ofgem said.
The watchdog launched a formal investigation into the firm in 2018, concluding that the failings took place between 2013 and 2019.
The regulator concluded that the supplier did not consistently offer to put domestic customers who were struggling to pay their energy bills on debt repayment plans.
It also did not consistently allow payments to be taken directly from customers’ benefits.
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Look ahead to December
There will be colder spells coming towards the UK the Met Office have said with an increased chance of ‘wintry conditions’
“Towards the end of November and into early December there are signs of an increased likelihood of north to northwesterly winds.
“This means that overall temperatures are likely to be near or slightly below average, although some milder spells cannot be ruled out.
“In such patterns the most unsettled, wetter and windier conditions are often found across northern areas, while the most settled, driest and brightest conditions are predominantly across the south.
“There is a slightly higher than normal chance of some wintry conditions, especially across the north.”
- [email protected]
Top tips for driving through fog
The Met Office have release top 5 tips when driving in foggy conditions as it is expected that much of the UK will see fog tomorrow morning.
Tip 1 – Make sure you’re familiar with how to use your front and rear fog lights.
Tip 2 – Do not use full beam lights as the fog reflects the light back reducing visibility.
Tip 3 – Follow the ‘two-second rule’ to leave sufficient space between you and the car in front.
Tip 4 – Ensure the heater is set to windscreen de-misting and open up all vents.
Tip 5 – If visibility is very limited, wind down your windows at junctions and crossroads to allow you to listen for approaching traffic.
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Winter is coming
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “There are likely to be some large flirtations with cold temperatures throughout November.
“Widespread frosts and fog will be a common feature, and the possibility is there of a number of snow events across northern Britain.
“These may even reach as far south as the capital from mid-month onwards.
“November looks like delivering an early taste of extensive winter for many.”
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Easy breezy
HEATED airers are back in stock at Aldi and the driers are very popular with shoppers.
In fact they are such a hit that the supermarket has sold out of them before, so you might want to move quickly if you want one.
They are also fairly cheap to run, costing just pennies per hour – check out how much exactly in our guide.
Aldi’s easy home heated airer costs £39.99 and is available online and in stores.
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Snow go
An icy three-day plunge is on the way, with 2.5cm snow flurries expected from November 14.
Inverness will be the first to see the in the early hours – before the snow drifts down to Edinburgh, weather site WXCharts has suggested.
However, before that, millions will see heavy rain and blustery winds thanks to the fall-out from a tropical storm.
Storm Wanda may influence the type of weather we’ll see in the coming days and over the weekend.
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Keep warm without burning money
WITH winter knocking on our doors and Jack Frost biting our noses each morning, chances are you’re tempted to turn up the heating to keep warm.
But rather than spend the money, a savvy man shares six easy tips to keep your house warm, and they’re all completely free.
Firstly, if you do have the heating on, the man says to bleed your radiators to keep them running properly.
You can also pop a sheet of tin foil behind it to deflect heat, and he suggests leaving a gap between the radiator and your furniture to allow the heat to travel further.
Read more tips here.
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What's the weather like for Remembrance weekend?
This Remembrance weekend looks to be a dry and cloudy one with the rain looking set to come just before Saturday.
The Met Office have said there will be ‘outbreaks’ of rain on Friday and the weekend looks to be a ‘mild’ one.
“Breezy with outbreaks of rain on Friday, heaviest in the northwest. Over the weekend, cloudy in the east with some drizzle, brighter in the west. Mild, turning colder later.”
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