Dozens of flood alerts remain in place as Britain braces for stormy weekend conditions with wind gusts potentially reaching 75mph around coastal areas. Heavy rain, strong winds and dramatically cooler temperatures are expected across the country on Saturday and Sunday.
The Met Office has warned of potential flooding and transport disruption, particularly affecting north Wales and northern England. A yellow rain warning covers these regions from 9am on Saturday until 3am on Sunday.
More than 40 flood alerts are currently active for England, with over 20 additional alerts issued for Wales. The Environment Agency reports that high lake levels near Keswick Campsite in the Lake District are causing flooding, which is expected to continue throughout the weekend.
Wind warnings active
Blustery conditions are hitting the nation with the Met Office warning of a small chance of injuries from flying debris and slight chance of power cuts. A yellow wind warning affects the Midlands, Wales and northern England from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday.
The strongest winds are likely along the Bristol Channel and west Wales coast this afternoon and early evening. Gusts of 65-75mph are possible around some coasts, whilst inland locations may see gusts of 50-60mph.
Temperature plunge expected
Friday saw temperatures peak at 27.8C in St James's Park in central London, but Sunday could see dramatic drops to lows of 8C. The stark contrast highlights the significant weather change hitting Britain this weekend.
Detailed rainfall forecast
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: "Through this period, 20-30mm of rain is expected to fall widely across Wales and northern England, with some locations perhaps seeing 60-80 mm. Where these higher rainfall amounts fall remains uncertain and it is possible that this warning may be updated if confidence increases, particularly if the heaviest rain falls in urban areas."
He added that whilst not everywhere in the warning area will experience very strong winds, the strongest conditions will migrate north-eastwards before clearing into the North Sea during the early hours of Sunday morning. The system will initially strengthen across western and south-western areas before moving towards the North Sea coast of east and northeast England overnight.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
