Storm-force winds are set to batter Britain causing travel mayhem ahead of the big Christmas getaway rush, with the Met Office issuing two yellow warnings. 

Brutal gusts reaching up to 80mph will smash into the UK over the weekend, posing a ‘danger to life’, with the Met Office warning of power cuts and building damage.

The wind alert, which follows two on Saturday, extends from midnight to 9pm on Sunday – encompassing almost all of the final weekend before Christmas. 

Millions will be affected by the tempestuous conditions, with Sunday’s massive warning area stretching across all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and covering all of west England, from Cornwall to Cumbria. 

Forecasters have urged those in the affected areas to get ready for ‘delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport’ – which they say are ‘likely’ as Christmas creeps closer. 

The first yellow warning for the weekend encompasses Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland on Saturday, with a chance of winds hitting 80mph in coastal areas. 

The warning has been put in place from 7am on Saturday, with the Met Office predicting winds between 50 to 60 mph for the areas of Glasgow, Inverness, Belfast. 

‘Very strong’ winds emerging from the west are anticipated in the islands of Stromness and Stornoway are expected to be between 65 to 75mph.

However, the wind warning has been extended into Sunday, with almost all of the UK covered by it – with winds expected to hit up to 70mph in some areas 

EAST SUSSEX: Waves crash into the harbour wall and lighthouse at Newhaven in East Sussex yesterday 

The weather warning has since been extended from 9pm Saturday to 9pm on Sunday – which is when much of the UK will be under a yellow wind alert. 

The Met Office said ‘strong and gusty northwesterly winds’ will batter Britons on Sunday.

Across most of the warning area, ‘gusts of 50-60 mph are expected quite widely’, forecasters have warned.

But in and around exposed coastal and hilly areas, meteorologists fear gusts of up to 70mph could hit – especially in the north and west.

The latest warnings come as many communities recover from the devastating effects of Storm Darragh earlier this month. The next storm of the season is expected to be called Storm Eowyn – although the Met Office has not yet officially issued the name. 

Locals have also been warned to prepare for a ‘short term loss of power’ due to the battering winds. 

Delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely with a greater impact expected due to public transports and roads being busier pre-Christmas.

Met office said: ‘There is a slight chance of some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs. 

SWANSEA: Emergency services and Council workers attend the scene of flooding on the A4067 Mumbles Road yesterday

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‘Some delays to public transport are likely, as well as disruption to travel by road. There is a small chance of significant delays or even cancellations to services however, including ferry and air, whilst some roads and bridges may be closed.

‘There is a small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.’

Yesterday the Environment Agency issued 23 flood alerts for England, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency imposed seven alerts and five warnings. 

Emergency services and council workers attended to flooding on the A4067 on Mumbles Road near Swansea on Wednesday.  

It comes shortly after motorists were warned to brace for difficult travel conditions yesterday as Britain was hit by gusts of up to 65mph.

The warning which covered large parts of northern England, including Sheffield and Leeds, and a small area of southern Scotland began at 3am Wednesday until 2pm. 

A separate warning issued for northern and western Wales as well as parts of North West England, started at 3pm on Tuesday and expired at 9am yesterday. 

The Met Office anticipated gusts of 45 to 55mph fairly widely with 65mph in a few places, particularly along the coast.

Separately yesterday, a wind warning was issued for 60mph gusts and further travel disruption in northern and western Scotland for Saturday from 7am until 9pm. 

The top recorded wind gust across the UK on Wednesday was 65mph at St Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight.

This was followed by 55mph at Pembrey Sands in Carmarthenshire and 50mph in Plymouth, Devon. Rhyl in North Wales which had a gust of 49mph. 

WEDNESDAY: One wind warning covers large parts of northern England and a small area of southern Scotland. The other is for northern and western Wales and parts of North West England

And the strong winds led to the closure of the M48 Severn Bridge in both directions yesterday morning with traffic being diverted via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.

The Humber Bridge, which links Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on the A15, was also closed to high-sided vehicles and caravans, with all other users subject to a 30mph speed restriction. 

In South East Wales, Gwent Police briefly closed the B4269 between Llanellen and Llanfoist early Wednesday morning, with the road reopening at about 6.15am.

ScotRail said severe weather meant trains had to run at a reduced speed between Glasgow Queen Street and Mallaig due to a speed restriction on the route.

Six top tips for travel this Christmas

By NICKY KELVIN 

Christmas is a magical time for travel, filled with festive cheer and the excitement of visiting loved ones or exploring new destinations. 

However, it’s also one of the busiest travel periods of the year, which can lead to increased costs, potential delays, and a higher chance of travel disruptions. 

Here’s some advice to help navigate the challenges of busy travel periods and make your Christmas travel experience smoother:

• Factor in Disruptions: Winter weather can impact travel, causing flight delays and train cancellations. Be prepared for the possibility of disruptions and have backup plans in place. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for travel alerts from your airline or train operator.
• Stay Informed: Stay up-to-date on potential train strikes or other industrial action that could affect your travel plans. Check the websites of rail operators and news outlets for the latest information.
• Explore Alternatives: If strikes are planned, research alternative transportation options such as buses, car rentals, or even ride-sharing services. Be aware that these alternatives may also experience increased demand during peak travel times.
• Allow Extra Time: Whether you’re travelling by air or rail, allow extra time for check-in, security, and boarding. Busy travel periods often mean longer queues and potential delays.
• Check Your Rights: Familiarise yourself with your passenger rights in case of delays or cancellations. Airlines and train operators have specific policies regarding compensation and rebooking options.
• Pack Smart: Pack light to avoid checked baggage fees and streamline your journey through busy airports or train stations. Plus, airport and train station prices for food and beverages can be inflated. Consider packing your own snacks and drinks to save money. Also make sure to bring some form of entertainment – such as a book – to keep you occupied during potential delays.

NICKY KELVIN is editor at The Points Guy. For more of his tips, click here

And Transport for Wales warned that a tree blocking the line between Llandrindod and Knighton delayed trains running between Shrewsbury and Lllanelli.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company said its overnight ferry service from Heysham in Lancashire to Douglas were cancelled, but remaining services yesterday were expected to operate as normal.

CalMac Ferries, which serves the west coast of Scotland, said services were subject to disruption on Wednesday.

Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said yesterday had a wet and windy start, with heavy showers and ‘lively conditions’ also expected during the evening rush hour.

She said: ‘This rain across the central swathe of the country tends to fizzle out as we head through to around mid-morning, late morning, the cloud then breaks up.

‘We could even see some showers move in on this cold north-west wind as more cloud thickens from the South West, and this could bring some outbreaks of rain which could turn heavy as we head through into evening rush hour, certainly for the likes of Plymouth, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham, even Liverpool and Manchester.’

The winds will pick up in southern England that evening as well, she added.

The Met Office also warned that windy weather would continue over the next few days, adding: ‘The active jet stream will meander across the UK steering deeps areas of low pressure in our direction.’

Temperatures in the UK are set to drop today with maximums of 9C (48F) on the way – and again on Friday, as conditions remain ‘changeable and often windy’ into the weekend.

Looking further ahead, the Met Office forecast for the rest of the year from this Sunday states: ‘Likely starting off very unsettled, with blustery showers, a mix of rain, sleet, some hill snow and soft hail being driven in by a strong to gale force north-westerly wind.

‘Southeastern areas most sheltered from these but widely feeling very cold. 

‘Gradually turning more settled through the following week, with cloud, stronger winds and outbreaks of rain increasingly becoming confined to northwest Scotland, as an area of high pressure becomes established across at least the south of the UK.

‘It may even become settled here too, but confidence in the north/south boundary between settled and unsettled gets steadily lower through the period. becoming widely mild, perhaps exceptionally so in some places, although clearer spells overnight may lead to localised frost and fog.’

It comes as the Met Office confirmed Britain should not expect a widespread white Christmas this year. 

Forecasters said Christmas Day is ‘likely to be settled, often cloudy, and dry with light winds for the majority’, although it could be wet and windy in North West Scotland.

The weather service added that temperatures are expected to be ‘widely mild’, with high pressure building in from Christmas Eve to bring a period of settled weather.

Its deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris said: ‘If you are hoping for a blanket of snow across the country on Christmas Day, I’m sorry to say you will be disappointed.’

Bookmaker Ladbrokes said yesterday that Edinburgh remains the most likely city in the UK to have a white Christmas at 5/4, with Newcastle close behind at 7/4, while London is at 7/1. It is 4/6 for snow to fall anywhere in the country on Christmas Day.

The Met Office says an official white Christmas in the UK simply needs an observer or an automatic weather station to report a single snowflake falling on December 25.

Since 1960, around half of the years have seen at least 5 per cent of the station network record snow falling on Christmas Day. A widespread covering of snow on the ground is defined where more than 40 per cent of stations reported this at 9am.

This has only happened four times since 1960 – in 1981, 1995, 2009 and 2010.

The latest warnings come as many communities recover from the devastating effects of Storm Darragh earlier this month. 

The fourth named storm of the season saw millions told to stay indoors, tens of thousands left without power and trains axed.