Hurricane Milton's impact on UK weather as Met Office assesses 'forecast uncertainty'

Hurricane Milton has caused widespread destruction in Florida and is now moving across the Atlantic Ocean. The Met Office has assessed the potential impact on the UK, noting that there may be "forecast uncertainty" next week

Hurricane Milton has left a path of destruction in Florida, making its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The category three storm, hitting the US on Wednesday night, resulted in countless ruined buildings, millions left without electricity, and at least 17 people confirmed dead as of Saturday morning, October 12.

As it's anticipated to journey east towards Europe, the Met Office has shared its insights on what this means for the UK. Most of the storm is set to fade over the ocean, but its remnants could still affect British weather.

The Met Office stated: "Milton is expected to weaken to a tropical storm once over the open waters of the Atlantic and transition into an extratropical storm after it passes to the south of Bermuda," according to the Express. "Beyond this, the remnant is likely to either be absorbed into a frontal zone or dissipate in situ in the subtropical Atlantic. If the remnants of Milton end up in the Atlantic as a weakening feature, it could cause some forecast uncertainty next week."

This potential "forecast uncertainty" comes about when hurricanes disrupt the accuracy of computer-based weather models. Hurricane Milton’s presence over the Atlantic could lead to less reliable long and medium-term weather forecasts for the UK due to its impact on the gathering of meteorological data.

The Met Office has alerted that strong winds and a higher chance of rain are set to hit the west and northwest of Britain over the next five days. Currently, there are 31 flood alerts in place across the country, but no weather warnings have been issued for the coming week, reports Coventry Live.

While Hurricane Milton is not expected to have a significant effect on the UK, the Met Office acknowledges that the "chaotic nature of the atmosphere" combined with Atlantic weather patterns makes forecasting beyond five days less reliable. Nevertheless, they remain confident that Britain will avoid the worst of the conditions that have recently battered Florida.

In the US state, rescue efforts continue as teams work to reach those isolated by the floods. The extent of the damage caused by this "once in a century" weather event is expected to become more apparent in the following days.