Heavy downpours and winds of up to 75mph are set to batter the UK this week as the Met Office issued three weather warnings. The severe conditions on Thursday threaten to cause widespread travel disruption, flooding, power cuts and building damage across large parts of the country.
A yellow weather warning for rain covers most of southern England, the east Midlands, parts of Wales and Yorkshire throughout Thursday until 9pm. The Met Office warns that heavy rainfall will begin Wednesday evening, bringing up to 50mm of rain in some areas by early Thursday morning, with North Devon, Cornwall and eastern England potentially seeing even higher amounts.
Severe wind conditions
The downpours may disrupt public transport and create difficult driving conditions due to spray and road flooding, with some homes and businesses also at risk of flooding. A separate wind warning for the east of England extends up to Scarborough, running from 9am until 11:59pm on Thursday.
Gusts of up to 75mph may develop in eastern regions, while the majority of the alert area can expect winds of up to 55mph, with 65mph possible near coastal areas. Strong winds could lead to power cuts, transport disruption and building damage, with the Met Office warning of a small chance of injuries and danger to life from large waves and beach material being thrown onto seafronts and coastal roads.
Southwest regions affected
Another yellow wind alert covers southwest England and parts of Wales, including Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Swansea and Pembrokeshire. Gusts of up to 45mph are expected widely within this area, while winds could reach up to 60mph along exposed coasts and headlands.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern described the approaching weather system, saying some "very unsettled weather" caused by low pressure was expected from Wednesday night into Thursday. He said: "The low is deepening as it crosses the UK, it's likely to bring a swathe of strong winds as well, gales around southern and eastern coasts, the risk of 60-mile-per hour gusts in some exposed spots, perhaps even a touch more in places."
Before Wednesday, conditions are expected to be a "mix of bright spells and showers", he added.
Sources used: "Met Office" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
