Weather warnings issued for parts of UK, including coastal alerts due to dangers posed by high waves hitting the shore

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Britain is facing gusts of up to 80mph as Storm Eleanor approaches, the Met Office has warned.

The fifth named storm of the season would bring a “very windy” spell to the UK on Tuesday night and Wednesday, forecasters said. The Met Office issued several national severe weather warnings because of the potential for travel disruption.

Coastal roads and properties along Britain’s western and southern coasts were vulnerable to high waves throwing beach material on to seafronts, forecasters warned.

The Met Office’s chief forecaster, Paul Gundersen, said: “The unsettled theme continues throughout this week, with further spells of rain moving across the UK from the west as many return to work on Tuesday and there will again be some snow over the high ground in Scotland.

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“The wind will pick up again later on Tuesday and Wednesday as developing Storm Eleanor heads towards the UK and Ireland.”

The Environment Agency warned previously that strong winds and high tides could bring coastal flooding from Tuesday until Thursday.

Carol Holt, the Environment Agency’s flood duty manager, said: “We urge people to stay safe on the coast – take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades, and don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger trying to take ‘storm selfies’.

“If you’re travelling please check your route before setting off and don’t drive through flood water.”

An amber weather warning has been issued for between 6pm on Tuesday and 8am on Wednesday for north-eastern and western England, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. Gusts of 60-70mph were likely, while some western coastal areas could experience 80mph winds.

The Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster, Dan Harris, said there could be a return of colder conditions next weekend, with a risk of frost, ice and wintry conditions, particularly in the north.

“It could remain more unsettled in the south. The details of the forecast later this week and into the weekend are extremely uncertain at this stage, so my advice is to keep up to date with the latest forecasts as confidence will increase later in the week,” he said.