Storm Ashley is set to batter parts of the UK this weekend with amber and yellow weather warnings now in place for parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and in both northern and southwest England
The Met Office has warned Storm Ashley is set to batter the UK with “weather bombs” and crashing winds of up to 80mph and rainfull of up to 65mm.
Severe gales have been forecasted, with the national forecaster so concerned that it has issued an amber weather warning in Scotland between 9am Sunday and 12am Monday morning and has warned of a potential threat to life.
Within the last two hours the Met Office has issued a new weather warning alert for heavy rain in south Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and parts of Dorset and Somerset between 3am and midday on Sunday.
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Issuing the yellow weather warning the Met Office has said: “Heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds, will push east across the warning area through Sunday morning. Most areas will see 15-25 mm of rain, whilst upslopes exposed to the strong southerly winds could see 35-45 mm, possibly as much as 65 mm for parts of Dartmoor. Given recent wet weather, expected totals are likely to cause some disruption, before rain clears late morning.
The storm is expected to gather some serious power in the early hours of this morning as it interacts with an incredibly strong jet stream. Then it will undergo “explosive cyclogenesis”, more commonly known as a “weather bomb”, which is where central pressure drops at least 24 millibars over the course of 24 hours.
A Met Office weather warning said: “Parts of western Scotland are likely to see gusts of 70-80mph at times on Sunday afternoon, before winds ease through the evening and overnight. The winds coincide with high spring tides and large waves which may lead to a greater risk of disruption along coasts.”
Residents living in the region have been urged to protect their property and people they know from injury. The Met Office encourages people to check for loose items outside their home and plan on how best to secure them.
What warnings are in place and when?
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A yellow wind warning is in place for all of Scotland, western and north Wales, Northern Ireland and Cumbria from 3am this morning to midnight tonight.
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An amber wind warning is in place for much of the west of Scotland on form 9am today to midnight tonight.
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A yellow rain warning is in place for south Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and parts of Dorset and Somerset.
See a full breakdown of the regions affected by the yellow rain warning below:
South West England
- South West England
- Bristol
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Dorset
- Gloucestershire
- North Somerset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Torbay
Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
For more information on how to keep safe during a storm, visit the Met Office website here.
