A WEEK of storms with torrential rain and gales are threatening misery in the run-up to Christmas.

Relentless foul weather is set to ruin the party period over the next week as Polar winds send temperatures plummeting.

The stormy conditions are being steered into the UK on an unusually powerful jet stream from the Atlantic, forecasters say.

They are not ­expected to shift in the next few days – keeping Britain in the firing line of persistent bouts of wind and rain.

The forecasts come after gales wreaked havoc across the country at the weekend.

Another band of heavy rain is due to cross the country today.

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “It is going to ­remain wet, windy and very unsettled in the run-up to Christmas with powerful low-pressure systems in line to ­deliver stormy conditions through the next fortnight.

“People may also underestimate the colder ­conditions which are ­expected to come in from the north within this ­period. There will be a risk of snow which could turn quite widespread.”

A spokesman for The Weather Company added: “This week will remain unsettled, with wet and windy conditions on many days.

“Current indications are for the ­unsettled conditions to continue into mid-December – and probably later into December.”