The Met Office has issued a significant weather alert, urging residents across 18 specific areas in the UK to prepare for a day of severe gales and potential disruption. A yellow warning for wind is in force from 4am to 4pm on Tuesday, covering a large swathe of south-west England and Wales.
What to Expect from the Oncoming Gales
Forecasters warn that strong south-easterly winds will develop during Tuesday morning, becoming particularly gusty over and to the northwest of high ground. Inland gusts are expected to reach 45-55 mph, with the most exposed hills and coastal spots likely to see winds of 60-65 mph.
These conditions are predicted to cause delays to road, rail, air, and ferry transport. Drivers of high-sided vehicles are especially advised to take care on exposed routes and bridges. A band of heavy rain will accompany the wind, moving eastwards across the region through the day, with conditions easing once it clears.
Three Key Items to Prepare Now
In its warning, the Met Office specifically advises households to consider gathering essential items to cope with possible power cuts. It is recommended to prepare a kit containing torches with spare batteries, a mobile phone power pack, and other crucial supplies before any outage occurs.
"People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance," the official guidance states, emphasising that it is a simple but effective step to take.
Coastal Dangers and Travel Advice
Communities near the coast face additional hazards. Large waves and sea spray are expected to affect some coastal routes, sea fronts, and communities. The public is strongly warned to stay away from large breaking waves due to the risk of being swept off their feet.
All residents in the affected regions are urged to check the latest travel conditions and service updates before setting out on journeys by road, sea, or rail.
The areas under the Met Office yellow wind warning are:
- South West England: Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, Plymouth, Somerset, Torbay.
- Wales: Bridgend, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan.
