0:00:02 > 0:00:05Hello, there's a major change in our weather coming our way
0:00:05 > 0:00:07later this week and just in time for Christmas.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09If you were hoping for something white for Christmas,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12it looks like another W will be a bigger player and that
0:00:12 > 0:00:14is wind. All very different from what we have at the moment.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16With light winds and scenes like this
0:00:16 > 0:00:18in South Wales on Sunday with fog.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Problematic at times, but the sort of thing you get with high pressure.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24That's what we have at the moment and that's what we've had
0:00:24 > 0:00:27for much of December so far. As a result, most of the UK
0:00:27 > 0:00:30has been drier than average, it's been quite mild too, in fact,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32if it carried on this way, could well turn out to be in the
0:00:32 > 0:00:35top-ten mildest Decembers on record. But yes, there are changes coming.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39We can look to North America for origins for that change,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42we've seen bitter cold Arctic air spreading out of Canada into
0:00:42 > 0:00:45the USA, meeting the warmer air further south.
0:00:45 > 0:00:46Strengthening the thermal gradient,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49the change of temperature over a smaller area.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52And that's what the jet stream thrives off and strengthens
0:00:52 > 0:00:54from and that's what we're getting this week,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57a stronger jet stream roaring across the Atlantic towards us,
0:00:57 > 0:00:59carrying deeper areas of low pressure, turning our weather
0:00:59 > 0:01:01wetter and windier. Not at the start of the week,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04high pressure still close by, influencing our weather from
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Continental Europe, but then look - the first deeper area
0:01:07 > 0:01:10of low pressure coming out of North America will come close
0:01:10 > 0:01:13to us later this week, as we'll see. We'll take it day by day,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16this is Monday, still high pressure, still some quite dense fog
0:01:16 > 0:01:20across parts of England and Wales to start the day. Bit of patchy
0:01:20 > 0:01:22rain coming into the east and south-east of England,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24bit of patchy rain spreading southwards through Scotland
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and Northern Ireland turning a bit brighter behind that -
0:01:27 > 0:01:29single-figure temperatures. Clearer to start Monday night
0:01:29 > 0:01:32in Scotland and Northern Ireland, some more of us picking up a
0:01:32 > 0:01:35frost - going into Tuesday, still a weather front, a weak one,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38close by western parts of England and Wales. So, some us here
0:01:38 > 0:01:41seeing a bit of rain but actually a bit more sunshine coming through
0:01:41 > 0:01:44further east across England and then look to the north-west,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47here comes the first weather front from our first deeper area
0:01:47 > 0:01:50of low pressure and that brings some gales and some heavy rain,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and that spreads its way south-eastwards, weakening as it
0:01:53 > 0:01:55does so on Tuesday night and into Wednesday as it runs into
0:01:55 > 0:01:58high pressure. So maybe for England and Wales on Wednesday,
0:01:58 > 0:02:00not a huge amount of rain left on this.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Sunshine and showers for Scotland and Northern Ireland and
0:02:03 > 0:02:04a colder flow.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Some of those showers turning wintry and giving some snow, at least
0:02:07 > 0:02:10on the hills into Scotland, but a few spots to lower levels too.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Now there's a pulse of energy running along our
0:02:12 > 0:02:15weather front affecting England and Wales on Wednesday night
0:02:15 > 0:02:17that could give some heavier rain for a time.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Bags of uncertainty about that, so we're going to follow it
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and keep you updated. Thursday, that clears, then we're all in this
0:02:23 > 0:02:26sunshine, showers, brisk west-north-westerly colder flow
0:02:26 > 0:02:29and again some of those showers wintry, maybe not just on hills
0:02:29 > 0:02:33across northern Britain. Thursday night - high pressure starts
0:02:33 > 0:02:36to try to build in to southern areas, touch of frost, maybe a few
0:02:36 > 0:02:39fog patches once again, but then, look - another area of
0:02:39 > 0:02:42low pressure quickly coming in from the Atlantic on that jet stream.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45May start fine on Friday but the further west you are, you'll
0:02:45 > 0:02:48notice the wind picking up. Towards the north-west, gales
0:02:48 > 0:02:51or severe gales developing. More heavy rain coming to parts of
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Scotland and Northern Ireland later in the day.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Now, the start of Christmas weekend - that drives
0:02:56 > 0:02:59south-eastwards and then we're watching this area of low pressure.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02This could potentially turn things quite stormy on Christmas day.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Not set in stone, still a lot to play for -
0:03:04 > 0:03:06we will follow that and keep you updated
0:03:06 > 0:03:09but it could be an unwelcome visitor for Christmas.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11After that, leading up to New Year, further spells
0:03:11 > 0:03:15of wind and rain but there are gaps between the weather systems,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18when we get something a bit drier, brighter, colder,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20with a chance of getting something wintry and white,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23especially on the hills of northern Britain.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25But at the moment, Christmas is looking more windy
0:03:25 > 0:03:29than white and do keep watching this week for regular updates.