UK weather latest: UK braces for Storm Darragh as Met Office issues amber weather warning

Strong winds and rain will bring a “risk to life and property” across the UK, the Met Office said, as Storm Darragh approaches.

The fourth named storm of the season is expected to bring winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain this afternoon and into the weekend, while 130 flood warnings have been issued.

A yellow warning for rain will be in place for Northern Ireland and Wales, which were badly hit by flooding during Storm Bert, from 3pm today until 12pm tomorrow.

These areas could see up to 60 mm of rain during the warning period, which could lead to some flooding and disruption, forecasters said.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, where between 200 and 300 properties were flooded during Storm Bert last month, is set to be hit by heavy rain again.

The Environment Agency has urged motorists not to drive through floodwaters this weekend.

Katharine Smith, the agency’s head of flood protection, said heavy rain was expected to move “rapidly” across the north and west of England on Thursday evening, adding that minor surface water flooding was “likely” in parts of north-west England, while is a smaller river, floods were possible more widely in the whole country.

“Environmental Agency teams are on the ground and will support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding. We’re urging people not to drive through flood water – it’s often deeper than it looks and as little as 30cm of running water is enough to float your car,” Ms Smith said.

The forecaster says a period of “very strong northerly or north-westerly winds” will develop during Saturday as Storm Darragh moves from west to east. This will cause gusts of up to 70 to 80 mph in areas of exposed coast and gusts of 60 to 70 mph inland.

Affected communities, especially those under an amber weather warning this weekend, are being warned to use caution and avoid driving due to potentially hazardous conditions.

With several weather warnings for wind and rain covering different areas at different times, The Independent has broken down which areas will be affected.

Motorists have been advised to “adjust their driving behaviour” if weather conditions become challenging.

National Highways duty manager Dale Hipkiss said: “If you plan to drive in the next few days, prepare in advance for your journey and be aware of the roads.

“If weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behavior to manage the conditions as safely as possible. It is also a good idea for drivers to check their vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, before setting off to reduce the risk of breakdowns.”

Storm Darragh follows a period of “unsettled and stormy conditions”.

An area of ​​low pressure will bring strong winds and heavy rain to much of the UK, with the heaviest rainfall expected to be focused on the northern and western parts of the warning area.

Snow will hit the northern parts above 200 meters, the forecaster said.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly said: “Storm Darragh is a developing system and will bring several hazards, including gusts of up to 70-80mph around the west coasts, particularly from Devon and Cornwall to south-west Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wind speeds in inland areas will be slightly reduced, with maximum gusts expected to reach 60-70mph.”

The Met Office has issued its main safety advice for areas with high winds over the weekend.

Here’s what to do if Storm Darragh brings strong winds to your area, according to the Met:

1. Protect your assets: “Don’t risk injury to others or damage your property. Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you can secure them against high winds,” says the forecaster.
2. Plan routes and pack the essentials for all trips: The forecaster emphasizes that “windy weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous.”
3. Drive slowly and carefully in strong winds: “Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, both for you and for other road users,” says the Met Office.
4. Take when you are close to shore: Check the forecast and tides and be aware of big waves, says the Met Office. Be careful walking near the cliffs.
5. Stay indoors as much as possible: “Being outside in strong winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk or take shelter near buildings and trees,” the Met Office said.

Three yellow weather warnings for rain and wind will be in place at 3 p.m. A yellow wind warning from 3pm on Friday until 6am on Sunday will cover the whole of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern parts of Scotland.

A yellow weather warning for rain will apply to Northern Ireland and much of Wales from 3pm on Friday until 12pm on Saturday, with the possibility of some “flooding and disruption”.

Another yellow warning for rain will affect the south of Scotland from 3pm on Friday until 12 noon on Saturday, stretching from the Scottish Borders to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and up the east coast to Aberdeen.

In addition to the yellow weather warnings from Friday, two yellow wind warnings will be in place in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The warning, which is in place between 3am and 9pm on Saturday, covers south-west England, west Wales, the north-west coast of England and the south-east coast of Scotland.

The Met Office weather forecast for the next day says Storm Darragh will hit the UK by Friday evening.

“This evening the rain clears in the east and southeast, leaving clear spells for many overnight. A few showers in the north and northwest. Winds are easing for all and frost is likely in some western rural areas,” according to Thursday’s forecast.

Friday will see a “dry, bright start, with a few showers continuing in the north-west”, before “wet and increasingly windy weather will arrive later from the west as Storm Darragh arrives by the evening”.

The Met warned there could be a “danger to life” in areas covered by a yellow weather warning on Saturday.

An amber weather warning for rain has been issued for Northern Ireland and the entire west coast of England and Wales – along with the south-east coast of Scotland.

Here’s what the Met Office is warning residents to expect:

• A high chance of power outages, with the potential to affect services such as mobile phone coverage
• Possible damage to buildings
• Longer journey times and cancellations with rail, air and ferry services are potentially affected
• Danger to life and injury from flying debris
• Road and bridge closures, with the potential danger of falling trees
• Danger to life from large waves and material from the beach being thrown onto the coastal roads, coast and properties

The Met Office has issued a series of weather warnings for Friday.

They all come into effect at 3 p.m.

A yellow weather warning for wind, covering the whole of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern parts of Scotland, will remain in place until 6am on Sunday.

A yellow rain warning will be in place across southern Scotland, extending up the east coast of Scotland to Aberdeen. This will last until 12 noon on Saturday.

There will also be a yellow warning for rain until 12 noon on Saturday, which will affect Northern Ireland and Wales.

Here is the warning map issued by the Met Office: