Storms, snow, and slick roads: UK, US, and Australia brace for weekend weather chaos

A deep low-pressure system is tearing across the UK this weekend, turning Friday into a gale-force nightmare for northern Scotland and leaving southern England soaked by Saturday — just as millions of Americans are hitting the road for Thanksgiving. The Met Office, the UK’s official meteorological service based in Exeter, issued a yellow warning for gusts up to 75 mph in the Highlands and Western Isles, where trees are already downed and ferry services suspended. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the FOX 5 Weather Team in Washington, DC warned of a wintry mix creeping into New England on Sunday, threatening slick roads for travelers returning home after Thanksgiving. The weather isn’t just disruptive — it’s global. From Adelaide to Amman, forecasters are sounding alarms: flash floods in Australia, record warmth in Jordan, and a chilling Arctic blast poised to hit the U.S. Mid-Atlantic by Monday.

Scotland Braces for Wind and Water

Friday morning brought the worst of it: gusts of 70 mph lashed the Hebrides, with isolated spots near Cape Wrath hitting 75 mph — enough to flip unsecured trailers and rip roofing from buildings. The Met Office’s warning, active until 11:00 AM UTC on November 28, 2025, covered everything from the Isle of Skye to Orkney. By midday, over 12,000 homes in the Highlands lost power. “It felt like the whole coast was screaming,” said one resident of Fort William. “I’ve seen storms, but this was different — like the sea was trying to climb the cliffs.” Saturday shifted the focus south. A secondary low tracked from Cornwall to Lincolnshire, dumping 30–50 mm of rain in just 12 hours. The River Severn rose rapidly, forcing minor evacuations near Gloucester. Temperatures plummeted: 4°C in the Scottish Highlands by dawn, 8°C in London by noon — but it felt colder. Wind chill pushed it below freezing in exposed areas. “It’s not the cold that gets you,” noted meteorologist Dr. Helen Park at the Met Office. “It’s the damp. You’re wet for hours. That’s what kills the morale.”

Thanksgiving Travel Under Threat

While the UK dealt with wind and rain, the U.S. East Coast was bracing for a different kind of chaos. The FOX 5 Weather Team predicted a cold front slamming into New England Sunday afternoon. Rain was expected to mix with snow — particularly west of I-495 in Massachusetts. “A few wet snowflakes might mix in,” warned lead forecaster Mark Delaney. “It won’t stick, but it’ll turn pavement into a skating rink.” That timing couldn’t be worse. Sunday evening is peak return traffic after Thanksgiving. With an estimated 52 million Americans driving long distances, the FOX 5 Weather Team urged travelers to delay departures until Monday morning. “We’ve got ice pellets in the forecast for Worcester, Springfield, and Hartford,” Delaney added. “One slick patch can cause a 10-car pileup.” Meanwhile, in the Mid-Atlantic, temperatures dipped into the 30s°F overnight on Saturday, with a potential Arctic blast arriving Monday. “This isn’t just a weekend storm,” said climate analyst Dr. Lena Ruiz at the University of Maryland. “It’s the first real taste of winter. If this pattern holds, December could be brutal.”

Australia’s Heatwave Meets Thunderstorms

While Europe and North America shivered, Australia baked — then flooded. Mirage News reported Saturday thunderstorms over Victoria and South Australia brought localized downpours of 40 mm in under an hour. Flash flooding closed highways near Melbourne and stranded motorists near the Murray River. “We’ve had 11 days straight above 30°C,” said meteorologist Priya Nair from the Bureau of Meteorology. “Then boom — the cold front hits. It’s like the atmosphere is catching up.” Western Australia saw temperatures soar to 40°C, while Adelaide stayed cool with only 1–5 mm of rain — enough to dampen the soil but not trigger floods. The contrast was stark: one state sweltering, another soaked. “It’s climate volatility in real time,” said Dr. James Lin, a climate scientist at Monash University. “We’re not seeing trends anymore. We’re seeing whiplash.”

Global Weather Whiplash

Even the Middle East wasn’t spared the anomaly. Arab Weather reported Jordan’s temperatures 2–4°C above seasonal norms, with Amman hitting 20°C — a mild, almost spring-like day in late November. “We haven’t had a frost since October,” said Jordanian forecaster Samir Al-Hussein. “But it’s not warming — it’s just erratic.” In Ireland, Met Éireann echoed the UK’s warning: “Blustery,” “unsettled,” and “cold” were the keywords. Meanwhile, Evrim Ağacı flagged New England’s Sunday risk — a detail many U.S. outlets missed. “The connection between the UK low and the U.S. storm isn’t direct,” explained analyst Elif Demir. “But both are part of the same jet stream disruption. When the North Atlantic goes wild, the whole hemisphere feels it.”

What’s Next?

By Monday, the UK’s low-pressure system will have moved into the North Sea, replaced by a ridge of high pressure. But that brings its own danger: frost and fog. Overnight lows could dip to -3°C in northern Scotland, with icy patches on roads well into Tuesday. In the U.S., the Arctic front may push southward, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures to the Midwest and Northeast by Tuesday. “We’re not talking about snowfall,” said Dr. Ruiz. “We’re talking about a 30-degree plunge in 48 hours. That’s when pipes burst, heating bills spike, and hospitals see more respiratory cases.” Australia’s storms are expected to ease by Tuesday, but the heatwave will return by Thursday — with no relief in sight.

Background: Why This Weekend Matters

This isn’t just bad weather. It’s a pattern. The UK has seen 11 major storm events since October — double the five-year average. In the U.S., the National Weather Service recorded 23 weather-related travel delays on Black Friday alone in 2024. And Australia? It’s now in its third consecutive year of extreme temperature swings — from bushfire smoke to flood warnings within weeks. Climate scientists point to a weakening polar vortex and a wobbly jet stream as key drivers. “We used to think of weather as seasonal,” said Dr. Lin. “Now we know it’s chaotic. And it’s happening faster than models predicted.”