Warning: Amber

To expect: Wind

Affected areas: North East England, North West England, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber

Start time estimate: Saturday 7pm

End time estimate: Sunday 3am

The Met Office has issued an Amber wind warning for North East England, North West England, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Wales and Yorkshire and Humber across the UK, with conditions linked to Storm Dave.

The warning is covering parts of North East England, North West England, SW Scotland, Lothian Borders, Wales, Yorkshire and Humber. All local areas affected are listed below.

Blustery conditions are anticipated to batter the regions, arriving across the areas at around 7pm on Saturday and will continue lashing until Sunday 3am.

The Amber alert for wind was issued at 12:47pm on Saturday, April 4.

A Met Office forecast said: “A spell of very strong southwesterly, then westerly winds is expected across north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland on Saturday evening and overnight before easing early on Sunday. Gusts of 60-70 mph are possible widely with some coastal or exposed locations seeing gusts of around 80 mph.”

What to expect

Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected; Some roads and bridges likely to close; Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs; There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage; Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

What should you do?

Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions:

• Drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts

• Be aware of high sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking

• Give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual

Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees.

In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.

If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.

Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do: consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.

For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.

Full list of local regions affected

North East England
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland

North West England
Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders
Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders

Wales
Conwy, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey

Yorkshire and Humber
North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, York

What is an amber weather warning?

The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.

A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.

An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.

A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.

The Amber weather alert for wind will remain in effect until 3am on Sunday.