The Met Office has issued a rare danger to life weather warning as Storm Darragh is about to batter the UK with heavy rain and winds of up to 90mph.
Darragh’s impending arrival has triggered a succession of weather warnings from the Met Office for the next few days, including a red weather warning, and flood warnings from the Environment Agency.
Strong winds have begun affecting travel in parts of the country with the M48 Severn Bridge in Gloucestershire closed on Thursday night because of gusty weather.
But this is set to intensify in the early hours of Saturday morning as it moves across the Irish Sea, with gusts of up to 90mph over the coasts and hills of west and south Wales and then funnelling through the Bristol Channel with some very large waves on exposed beaches.
Forecasters say the strongest winds will begin to ease from late morning, although it will remain very windy with amber wind warnings still in force until the evening.
Dan Stroud, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “The wind particularly is set to be reasonably disruptive and potentially quite damaging.
“We are rather concerned about the strength of the winds affecting the Irish sea coasts and this is likely to have impacts on Irish ferry services.
“Trees could come down onto roads and people need to be aware of this and allow extra time for travel, especially in rural spots.”
Red, amber and yellow weather warnings are in place from the Met Office.
The Environment Agency has issued 18 flood warnings and 108 flood alerts.
And National Highways has warned drivers about the risks of trying to travel in severe conditions.
Dale Hipkiss, National Highways duty manager, said: “If you’re planning to drive over the next few days, prepare in advance for the journey and take extra care on the roads.
“If weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour to manage the conditions as safely as possible.”
Where and when will Storm Darragh hit?
The Met Office has said Darragh will hit Northern Ireland first on Friday before sweeping across to the rest of the UK.
However, before it makes landfall there were unsettled conditions on Thursday in the UK with “heavy rain and squally winds”.
Jason Kelly, a Met Office chief forecaster, said: “Storm Darragh is an evolving system and will bring several hazards, including wind gusts of up to 70-80mph around western coasts, especially from Devon and Cornwall to southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“Wind speeds in inland areas will be slightly reduced with maximum gusts expected to reach 60-70mph.”
He added that Storm Darragh will “begin to impact Northern Ireland Friday evening.”
It is expected to cross Ireland late on Friday and hit parts of England and Wales on Saturday.
It will then clear to the east of England on Saturday night or early Sunday morning.
This large area of low pressure is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain.
The heaviest rainfall is expected to be focused in the northern and western parts of the weather warning areas.
Some hill snow is also expected in the north, in areas above 200m elevation.
What weather warnings are in place?
There are weather warnings in place from Friday 6 December through to Sunday 8 December.
We take a look at the detail:
Friday 6 December
- Yellow weather warning for snow from 8pm until 9am Saturday covering Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highland and Eilean Siar and Strathclyde regions in Scotland.
- Yellow weather warning for rain from 3pm until midday Saturday covering Northern Ireland, Wales and Shropshire.
- Yellow weather warning for rain from 3pm until midday Saturday covering Centrail, Tayside, Fife, Grampian, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde in Scotland.
- Yellow weather warning for wind from 3pm until 6am on Sunday covering East and West Midlands, East Anglia, London, South East England, South West England, North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales, Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde.
Saturday 7 December
- Red weather warning for wind from 3am until 11am covering Wales, Bristol, Bath, Somerset. South Gloucestershire and Devon.
- Amber weather warning for wind from 1am until 9pm covering Northern Ireland, North West England, South West England, Wales, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and South Ayrshire.
- Yellow weather warning for snow from Friday 8pm until 9am Saturday covering Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, Highland and Eilean Siar and Strathclyde regions in Scotland.
- Yellow weather warning for wind from 3pm Friday until 6am Sunday covering East and West Midlands, East Anglia, London, South East of England, South West England, North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales, Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde.
- Yellow weather warning for rain from 3pm Friday until midday Saturday covering Central, Tayside and Fife, Grampian, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde in Scotland.
- Yellow weather warning for rain from 3pm Friday until midday Saturday covering Northern Ireland, Wales and Shropshire.
Sunday 8 December
- Yellow weather warning for wind from 3pm Friday until 6am on Sunday covering East and West Midlands, East Anglia, London, South East England, South West England, North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and Humber, Wales, Northern Ireland, South West Scotland, Lothian Borders and Strathclyde.
