Storm Erin update from Met Office as weather system barrels towards UK

The Met Office has sounded the alarm over Storm Erin, warning that Britain is braced for violent winds and heavy rain as the nation's sweltering heatwave comes to an end.

After a week of dazzling sunshine that saw beaches packed and thermometers soaring, the weather is set to take a major turn. It comes after London sizzled at a scorching 33.4C on Tuesday, August 12 - and even as cooler air crept in towards the weekend, the south-west of England still sweltered at 30C on Saturday, August 16. But as Storm Erin intensifies in the Atlantic Ocean, Britain is bracing for the chaos to cross the pond. The system has already left destruction in its wake, striking the Cape Verde islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão, where a state of emergency was declared after ferocious winds and torrents of rain tore through communities. Around 1,500 people were forced to flee their homes, and nine lives were lost in the chaos.

READ MORE: UK weather: Storm maps show exact date rain hits and temps plummet by 14C

READ MORE: Hurricane Erin tracker: Maps show mega 160mph storm heading straight for tourist hotspot

The National Hurricane Centre has warned that Erin is now racing across the Atlantic, with the potential to strike the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, or even the east coast of the United States. According to the Met Office, the UK is firmly in its path, Manchester Evening Newsreports. Forecasters say that in the latter part of the month, Storm Erin is expected to lash Britain with intense gales and sheets of rain.

Analysing the long-range forecast between Tuesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 28, a Met Office spokesperson said: "The details during this period carry low confidence. High pressure will probably be increasingly displaced to the north through the first part of this period, allowing areas of low pressure to potentially make inroads from the Atlantic.

"This brings an increasing possibility of stronger winds and rain, some of which could be heavy and thundery, especially for southern and western areas, but this perhaps becoming more widespread with time.

"Overall, temperatures look to remain above average, with the potential for some further hot spells, especially in the south. One of the determining factors of the forecast through this period will be the behaviour of what is currently Tropical Storm Erin as it progresses into the North Atlantic; this being a quite typical source of uncertainty in late summer."

The forecaster warned that conditions will be more uncertain beyond Monday, largely due to developments in the Atlantic. "Tropical storm Erin is currently moving towards the United States, and its eventual path could influence UK weather," it said.

"It's not uncommon for tropical systems at this time of year to be picked up by the jet stream. Recent examples include Storm Floris and ex-tropical storm Dexter. The impact on the UK depends on where these systems sit relative to the jet stream, on the cooler, low-pressure side.

"They can bring wet and windy weather; on the warmer, high-pressure side, they may remain offshore and contribute to warmer conditions. Sometimes the jet stream flows in a relatively straight path, much like a fast-moving river. At other times, it meanders and loops, slowing down the movement of weather systems and making their paths less predictable. These meanders can lead to prolonged periods of wet or dry weather, depending on where the jet stream is positioned."