Forecasters are warning of heavy rain along with strong winds on Thursday ahead of Storm Eowyn, which threatens to bring dangerous gusts of up to 90mph.
Coastal areas across much of Wales, southwestern and southern England are covered by a yellow warning between 7am and 6pm on Thursday.
Winds could reach 50-60mph over exposed coasts and hills with the peak times affecting western areas during the morning and eastern areas in the afternoon.
It comes ahead of an amber wind alert for some areas of the UK from 6am through to 9pm on Friday, with the Met Office warning there could be “a danger to life” due to flying debris.
Parts of northern England and Scotland are expected to face gusts of up to 60-70mph fairly widely, but 80-90mph along more exposed parts.
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An amber warning applies between 6am and 9pm on Friday
Met Office yellow and amber warnings on Friday ahead of Storm Eowyn
Widespread disruption
Eowyn is expected to bring “very strong winds and widespread disruption”, according to the Met Office.
There are separate yellow warnings for wind, rain and snow covering various parts of the UK on Friday, with a yellow warning for wind in Scotland continuing until 3pm on Saturday.
Seaham Harbour in County Durham when Storm Darragh hit in December. Now Storm Eowyn threatens this area on Friday. File pic: PA
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Storm Eowyn set to wreak havoc across UK
Red warnings across Ireland
Meanwhile, a rare, red wind warning has been issued by Ireland’s weather service ahead of the arrival of Storm Eowyn, threatening to bring “severe, damaging and destructive gusts”.
Gale force southerly winds turning to the west are set to bring “extremely destructive gusts in excess of 130kmh [80mph]” on Friday, according to Met Eireann.
The “status red” warnings are in effect across all of Ireland’s 26 counties, throughout Friday morning and into the afternoon for some counties.
Across all counties, Met Eireann warns of “danger to life” conditions, with potential impacts including fallen trees, power outages, dangerous waves on the coast, structural damage and travel disruption.
Red wind warnings have been issued across Ireland for Friday. Pic: Met Eireann
A red warning is only issued for “rare and very dangerous weather conditions”, according to the forecaster.
Meanwhile, a “status orange” warning – the same level as “amber” in the UK – also applies to all of Ireland’s counties between 2am and 5pm on Friday.
Almost exactly a year after Storm Jocelyn battered Fanore in County Clare, the same area is covered by a red warning ahead of Storm Eowyn on Friday. File pic: PA
Met Eireann said it will start to become “very stormy” on Thursday night, before the centre of Storm Eowyn tracks just off the northwest coast on Friday morning.
All of Northern Ireland, covered by the Met Office, is also under amber warnings for wind on Friday.
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Sky News weather producer Chris England warned that parts of the UK also face rain and snow.
“Expect up to 4cm (1.6in) of rain over the Welsh hills, up to 10cm (4in) of snow over the hills of northern England and southern Scotland for a time and up to 25cm (10in) of snow over the hills further north,” he said.
“Drifting and blizzard conditions are likely, given the strong winds.”
