Warning: Yellow
To expect: Wind
Affected areas: East of England, London and South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands
Start time estimate: Thursday 8am
End time estimate: Thursday 6pm
The Met Office has issued an updated Yellow wind warning for East of England, London and South East England, South West England, Wales and West Midlands across the UK for Thursday.
The warning is covering parts of East of England, London and South East England, South West England, Wales, West Midlands. All local areas affected are listed below.
Strong gusts are predicted to sweep through the regions, arriving across the areas at around 8am on Thursday and will continue lashing until 6pm.
The updated Yellow alert for wind was announced at 11:30am on Wednesday, January 22.
A Met Office forecast said: “A band of heavy rain will move eastwards through the remainder of today, with some rather gusty winds for a time, followed by a few blustery showers. Wind gusts may reach 50-60 mph in some places, more especially on coasts and hills, and perhaps locally up to 70 mph on more exposed coasts. Winds will ease from west to east through the afternoon.”
What to expect
Probably some bus and train services affected, with some journeys taking longer; Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely; Some short term loss of power and other services is possible; It’s likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and/or large waves.
What should you do during intense winds?
Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary. 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. Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area. For further details see https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings.
Full list of local regions affected
East of England
Essex, Southend-on-Sea, Thurrock
London and South East England
Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Greater London, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Oxfordshire, Portsmouth, Reading, Slough, Southampton, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham
South West England
Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Torbay, Wiltshire
Wales
Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
Herefordshire
What is an updated yellow 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 Yellow weather alert for wind will remain in place until 6pm on Thursday.