Storm Éowyn set to batter the UK with up to 90mph winds

The UK Met Office has named the upcoming storm "Éowyn," which is expected to bring strong winds to parts of the UK on Friday.

The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning for Friday and Saturday. Gusts could reach up to 145 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) or even higher, potentially causing localized damage, power outages, and travel disruptions. Heavy rain and snow in mountainous areas are also expected.

This will be in stark contrast to the calm and cold weather that has dominated the past week or so, which has seen fog and mist in parts of the UK. The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning for Wednesday morning covering parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, northeast Wales and southwest Scotland. Visibility could fall below 100 meters (328 feet), leading to difficult travel conditions.

The fog was partly due to weak winds. However, these winds will strengthen significantly by the end of the week. Storm "Éowyn" (pronounced "ay-oh-win") will develop rapidly as it crosses the Atlantic on Thursday. Although the specific details may change depending on the exact path of "Éowyn" across the UK, the strongest winds on Friday are most likely in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, northern and western England, and parts of Wales.

The Met Office has warned that gusts could reach between 129 and 145 kilometers per hour (80-90 miles per hour) in hilly areas along the Irish Sea coast. However, gusts of 97 to 113 kilometers per hour (60-70 miles per hour) are expected across most areas throughout the day. Gusts of 80 to 105 kilometers per hour (50-65 miles per hour) are expected in northern and western Scotland, central areas, and southern England, but potentially up to 129 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour) in coastal areas. These strong winds and gusts could lead to travel disruption and some damage, including dislodged roof tiles and power outages.

Large waves and coastal overtopping are also expected. Rain is also anticipated, and while temperatures will turn milder in some areas, particularly in the south, it will remain cold enough for snow in the mountains of Scotland, northern England, and Northern Ireland. Recently, the jet stream near the UK has been quite weak and fragmented, allowing a high-pressure system to linger nearby, preventing any powerful weather systems from approaching the UK coast. However, things are changing across the Atlantic.

Cold Arctic air is surging southwards across North America, bringing life-threatening wind chills and snowfall to southern regions including Texas and Louisiana. The contrast between this extremely cold air mass and milder air further south will "supercharge" the jet stream. Wind speeds within the core of the jet stream are expected to exceed 418 kilometers per hour (260 miles per hour) over the Atlantic. This huge injection of energy into the upper atmosphere will cause Storm "Éowyn" to rapidly deepen as it moves towards the UK, bringing the threat of strong winds and disruption.

Please stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings for your area via the BBC Weather website or app.