A large swathe of the UK is under fresh alert as winds of up to 85mph could bring towns to a standstill in a matter of hours. The new warning, from the Met Office, comes into effect from Wednesday at 9am, with its expiry at 5pm.
The forecaster warns: “Very strong southwesterly winds will develop during Wednesday, easing again from the west later in the day.
“Gusts of 65-75 mph are likely, with a few places perhaps seeing gusts of up to 85 mph at times. Over northwest Scotland these windy conditions will be accompanied by heavy rain for a time, during the morning and early afternoon.”
Amid the brutal speeds which are set to ramp up from around 45mph for some places, there is also a danger to life warning due to the risk of loose debris flying in off coastlines and buildings.
In terms of what to expect, there’s a slight chance of damage to buildings, such a tiles blown off roofs, some homes may be without power for a time, and there could be interruptions to mobile phone signal.
Large waves could also pose a risk to resident safety, the forecaster added. Roads may present hazardous driving conditions and some public transport routes may be disrupted at the last minute.
Roads and bridges may also be shut with little notice. This warning culminates the end of others which have been in place across Britain from Monday.
It will cover parts of Scotland, such as Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Eilean Siar, Highland, Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands.
People are urged to check their properties for loose tiles, and potentially lightweight garden furniture which may be taken off by strong gusts.
