Storm Bert will throw "everything but the kitchen sink" at Britain this weekend as the nation braces for gales, rain and more blizzards.
November is about to end with a bout of cyclonic disruption as autumn launches a final "vicious" assault.
A giant pressure "depression" flexing its muscles between Iceland and the UK has earned the second storm name of the season.
The "cyclonic" low will be powered by a frenzied jet stream hurtling out of America and splitting into two storm-charged "arms".
Storm Bert will throw 'everything but the kitchen sink' at Britain this weekend as the nation braces for gales, rain and more blizzards
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Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “Out in the Atlantic it is a bit of a mess with one arm of the jet stream driving south and trying to develop an area of low pressure, and another arm of the jet coming out of north America and picking up areas of low pressure.
“One low is developing what we call a right-entrance to the jet, and it suddenly becomes quite a vicious area of low pressure by the time we get to Sunday.
“Much of next week looks typically autumnal, but the transition could be interesting, and there are rain warnings as we go into the weekend.”
The weather will take a turn for the worst on Saturday as a "90-degree flip" brings winds in from the Atlantic.
A strengthening storm from the west will, however, bring milder air boosting temperatures after the early winter chill.
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However, meteorologists are watching its isobars which when tighten on weather maps warn of strong winds.
Deakin said: “This low pressure is pushing its way up between the UK and Iceland and really intensifying with the isobars jumping out of it as we go through the weekend generating some pretty gusty winds, and that is something that we need to watch.
“By the time we get to Sunday, we will have seen a 90-degree flip and that will have allowed milder air to spread across the UK, so it is going to turn milder as we go towards Saturday and Sunday.
“The hills of south Wales and southwest England will see some heavy rain and that could cause some problems as the rainfall builds up over the course of Saturday.”
Met Office’s Alex Deakin warns the jet will bring storms into Britain
Met Office
This weekend could see the second named storm of the season, and will arrive loaded with rain, snow and strong winds.
Exposed regions of the north, including the Scottish Highlands, are warned strong winds could whip up blizzards.
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and social commentator, said: “Storm Bert is going to throw everything but the kitchen sink, with some very strong winds, snow and blizzards all in the mix.
“This is something that I have been watching now for about a week, and it does seem to have developed into a powerful storm, with the main thrust expected on Saturday.
“There will also be heavy rain and with the rising temperatures, snow melt, so there will be a risk of floods.”
Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden added: “The next and final widespread snow event of this wintry period is expected during the early hours of Saturday and throughout Saturday morning across large parts of central England, Wales, Yorkshire, northern England, and northeast England, plus much of Scotland.
“It will then gradually turn to rain for many as milder, stormy, and windy weather begins to usher in.”
