The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings for wind and rain, signalling potential disruption for large parts of the UK from Monday evening into Wednesday. Forecasters warn of possible flooding, transport delays, and power outages as a deep area of low pressure moves in from the southwest.
Warnings in Force: Regions and Timings
A yellow wind warning is active from 10pm on Monday until 4pm on Tuesday, stretching from Hampshire and Cornwall across to north Wales. The Met Office advises that high-sided vehicles could face delays on exposed routes and bridges, while coastal areas may be affected by spray and large waves.
Simultaneously, a yellow rain warning covers the same regions from 6pm Monday until 6pm Tuesday. This brings the risk of flooding to homes and businesses, with some communities potentially becoming cut off. The forecaster has stated that "fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life."
Further warnings are in place for other areas. Northwest England is under a rain alert from midnight Tuesday until 3pm, while northwest Scotland faces a wind warning from 3pm Tuesday until 10am on Wednesday.
Potential Impacts and Recent Precedent
The expected severe weather could lead to significant travel disruption across road and rail networks. There is also a possibility of power cuts occurring in the worst-hit areas. These latest advisories follow a yellow rain warning for Northern Ireland on Sunday, which expired at 3pm.
On Sunday, twelve flood warnings were already active across England. The unsettled conditions have been building, with gusts of up to 40mph affecting parts of the south coast overnight into Saturday. In Seaford, East Sussex, firefighters were called after high winds detached a garage roof and door.
Meteorological Outlook and Christmas Forecast
Steven Keates, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, explained the situation: "A deepening area of low pressure will approach the UK from the south-west later on Monday, bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds, which are likely to affect the UK between late Monday and early Wednesday."
He added that the exact track of the low-pressure system remains uncertain, making it difficult to pinpoint the areas that will be most impacted. The forecast for the rest of December suggests further unsettled conditions, with more periods of low pressure expected. However, meteorologists say it is still too early to provide an accurate forecast for the Christmas period.
