IT was the calm before the storm, literally.
Days of wet and windy weather over Christmas and New Year were replaced by still and dry conditions around Huddersfield yesterday.
But the lull in the turbulent weather was just for one day with fierce storms set to lash Britain today.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings across nearly every region of the UK and says that powerful gusts of up to 80mph could cause travel disruption during today’s morning rush hour.
Issuing a yellow warning for strong winds and heavy rain, The Met Office said: “A spell of wet and very windy weather will affect the UK during Tuesday.
“The public should be aware of the possibility of disruption, including to travel, due to strong winds on Tuesday morning in most parts and during the afternoon across north-eastern Scotland.
“A spell of heavy rain will also affect many regions with a risk of localised flooding over parts of Wales and north-west England.”
Salendine Nook meteorologist Paul Stevens said winds may have reached 70mph overnight.
But he said the worst of the winds would be during the early hours and any storms should have passed by 9am.
“For the return to work we’ll have squally conditions,’’ he said.
“It looks like a stormy breakfast time but then the winds will ease to about 40mph or 50mph.”
The heavy rain comes after an unseasonably mild and wet December.
Last month temperatures were more than one degree higher than average at 7.2°C (45°F), while double the normal amount of rain fell on the region (135mm).
The outlook for the rest of the week is changeable and Paul said it could be getting a bit colder with possible wintry conditions up on the hills.
But he said there was no indication that the snow and ice of last winter would make a return in the next seven to 10 days.
However, Paul said weather models showed winds would be moving round to the east later in the month which could bring colder weather in from the continent towards the end of January and into February.
