Batten down the hatches! Britain is hit by 70mph gales with two-day weather warning issued for all of England and Wales as rain lashes nation for rest of the week
- Met Office says England and Wales face ‘strong winds accompanied by heavy and blustery showers’
- A yellow weather warning has been issued covering the countries from 9pm today until 3pm tomorrow
- Delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are ‘likely’, and loss of power and other services is ‘possible’
Strong winds of up to 70mph will batter England and Wales today, sparking travel chaos and danger for visitors to the coastline.
The Met Office says England and Wales face disruption from ‘strong winds accompanied by heavy and blustery showers’, and a yellow weather warning has been issued covering the countries from 9pm today until 3pm tomorrow.
Delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are ‘likely’, and some short term loss of power and other services is ‘possible’, forecasters warn. Some bus and train services will also ‘probably’ be affected, making some journeys take longer.
A Met Office spokesman said: ‘Strong and gusty winds are likely to develop on Wednesday evening and continue into Thursday across England and Wales.
‘Gusts of 50-55 mph are possible inland, especially close to showers.
‘Gusts may reach 60-70mph on coasts and hills, especially in the west, before gradually easing on Thursday afternoon.’
This morning will see a ‘windy start’ with some sunshine in the north but cloudy and wet elsewhere.
Grey storm clouds above Tynemouth Longsands beach in Tynemouth, North Tyneside, this morning, with the miserable weather conditions keeping beachgoers away except for a few dedicated runners and swimmers
Strong winds of up to 70mph will batter England and Wales today, sparking travel chaos and danger for visitors to the coastline
The Met Office says England and Wales face disruption from ‘strong winds accompanied by heavy and blustery showers’
A yellow weather warning has been issued covering England and Wales from 9pm today until 3pm tomorrow
The RNLI has urged people to exercise caution if visiting exposed cliffs, seafronts or piers due to the ‘severe safety risk’ caused by the wind, which is expected to be accompanied by heavy showers.
The charity’s head of water safety Gareth Morrison said: ‘We would encourage everyone to follow the latest Government guidelines on what they are able to do and where they are able to go during lockdown, but for anyone visiting a coastal area please understand the risks to be as safe as possible and not put unnecessary strain on front line services.
‘In a normal year around 150 people lose their lives at the coast and we know that more than half of those never intended to be in the water.
‘So, whether you are walking, running or cycling at the coast, please be extra responsible and avoid taking unnecessary risks or entering the water.
‘In particular, we ask people to stay well back from stormy, wintry seas and cliff edges, check tide times before you go, take a phone with you, and call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if you or someone else is in trouble.’
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