Storm Bert to rapidly intensify, bringing severe winds and heavy rain to the UK and Ireland
Storm Bert — the second named storm of the 2024/25 European storm season will undergo explosive cyclogenesis on Saturday, November 23, 2024, becoming a “bomb cyclone” with a rapid pressure drop of over 24 hPa in 24 hours. The system is set to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and freezing temperatures across the United Kingdom and Ireland this weekend, with warnings for flooding, power disruptions, and snow in higher regions.
Image credit: GFS, TropicalTidbits
- Storm Bert will undergo explosive cyclogenesis on Saturday, November 23, becoming a “bomb cyclone” with a rapid pressure drop of over 24 hPa in 24 hours.
- Yellow weather warnings have been issued across the UK and Ireland for heavy rain, strong winds of up to 112 km/h (70 mph), and snowfall, with significant risks of flooding and power disruptions.
- Southwest England, Wales, and parts of Ireland are expected to receive up to 125 mm (5 inches) of rain on Saturday, equivalent to a month’s average rainfall, leading to a high risk of localized flooding in already saturated areas.
- Northern England and Scotland could see up to 40 cm (15.7 inches) of snow in higher regions, while milder temperatures in Wales and southern England may rise to 12 – 15 °C (54 – 59 °F), creating a mix of blizzard conditions and potential flooding as snow melts into rain.
Storm Bert — the second named storm of the 2024/25 European storm season, was named by Met Éireann on Thursday, November 21.
Bert will move in from the Atlantic on Saturday, undergoing explosive cyclogenesis as its pressure is expected to drop by more than 24 hPa within 24 hours. This qualifies the system as a “bomb cyclone” or “weather bomb.”
The storm will move close to Ireland over the weekend, displacing the recent Arctic airmass. Very strong winds and heavy rain will track northeastwards over the country on Friday night (Yellow wind and rain warnings were issued nationwide), which will continue right through the weekend.
While main impacts are expected on Saturday and Sunday, there’s potential for lasting impacts into early next week.
Heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday, November 24, could cause localized flooding in urban areas and some river catchments, particularly in western and southwestern Ireland, where the soil is already saturated.
“There’s a strong likelihood of status orange wind warnings in western and northwestern counties,” Met Eireann meteorologist Andrew Doran-Sherlock said. “The impacts from Storm Bert will commence later on Friday and will continue through the weekend and potentially through early next week as well.”
Strong winds are also expected across the U.K. on Saturday morning, with gusts of 65 – 100 km/h (40 – 60 mph) spreading widely across Scotland and parts of northern England. A Yellow warning is in effect for these regions from 05:00 to 19:00 UTC on Saturday.
Gusts of up to 112 km/h (70 mph) are expected along parts of the Irish Sea coast. These winds may cause damage and disruption, including possible power outages.
In southwest England and Wales, a Met Office Yellow warning for rain indicates that 50 – 75 mm (2 – 3 inches) of rainfall could occur on Saturday. South Wales, Dartmoor, and some other areas may receive up to 125 mm (5 inches) of rain—equivalent to the average rainfall for the entire month of November—in a single day.
As the storm moves slowly across the UK over the weekend and into Monday, November 25, significant snowfall is expected in parts of northern England and Scotland, including the Grampians and Highlands. Higher elevations could receive 30 – 40 cm (12 – 16 inches) of snow.
Yellow warnings for snow and rain are in effect through Saturday, with 5 – 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) of precipitation anticipated. Blizzard conditions may occur in higher regions. Rising temperatures could turn snow into rain, increasing the risk of flooding.
As the system enters the UK, winds will shift from cold northerlies to milder south-westerlies. Temperatures in Wales, central, and southern England will rise to 12 – 15 °C (54 – 59 °F) on Saturday, while northern areas will remain between 2 – 7 °C (36 – 45 °F).
References:
1 Storm Bert named by Met Éireann (22nd – 24th November 2024) – Met Eireann – November 21, 2024
2 Storm Bert to hit UK as new weather warnings issued for weekend – BBC – November 21, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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