Met Office issues urgent 'danger to life' Amber weather warnings as 80mph gales expected
The Met Office has issued an urgent weather alert today warning Britons of strong winds reaching 80mph as Storm Henk sweeps across the country.
UK weather: Wet and windy conditions forecast by Met Office
The Met Office has issued an urgent amber weather warning for wind today warning about the potential "danger to life" 80mph gales as Storm Henk batters Britain.
Travel chaos is expected as longer journey times and cancellations are likely, the weather service added.
The alert, which is in place from 10am today until 8pm, warns "flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life".
Gusts of 70 to 80mph are likely on exposed coasts in the west, with gusts of 50 to 60mph expected inland.
The Met Office added: "A spell of very strong winds will affect parts of southwest England and south Wales late morning and early afternoon, then parts of southern England, the south Midlands and East Anglia during the afternoon and evening. Gusts of 70-80 mph are likely on exposed coasts in the west. Inland, gusts of 50-60 mph are more probable, but perhaps briefly 60-70 mph in one or two places."
Areas affected include the east Midlands, east of England, London & south east England, south west England, Wales and west Midlands.
Other less impactful warnings are put in place for wind and rain covering large swathes of the south of Britain.
The rain warning, which is in place from 5pm until 9pm this evening, warns residents that flooding is possible and travel disruptions are likely. Areas affected include east Midlands, east of England, London & south east England, north west England, south west England, Wales, west Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber.
Full list of areas affected by the amber wind warning:
East Midlands
- Northamptonshire
East of England
- Bedford
- Cambridgeshire
- Central Bedfordshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Luton
- Norfolk
- Southend-on-Sea
- Suffolk
- Thurrock
London & South East England
- Bracknell Forest
- Buckinghamshire
- Greater London
- Hampshire
- Kent
- Medway
- Milton Keynes
- Oxfordshire
- Reading
- Slough
- Surrey
- West Berkshire
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Wokingham
South West England
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bristol
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Gloucestershire
- Isles of Scilly
- North Somerset
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Swindon
- Wiltshire
Wales
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire