Storm Gareth is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK throughout the week, the Met Office has warned.

A mostly bright day was forecast on Monday, with occasional wintry showers in the north and west which were predicted to ease later in the day.

However, severe gales were set to hit western coastal areas in the evening.

A band of heavy rain in the west was set to move across the rest of the UK overnight.

It comes after gales and snow caused battered parts of Britain over the weekend, as winds of up to 65mph swept through southern parts of England.

Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves crash over the sea wall at Cleveleys near Blackpool, Lancashire PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures People walk along the top path instead of the road by the harbour to avoid waves at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures People watch as waves batter the coast in Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures People photograph the waves battering the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves crash against the marina wall in Brighton PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures A car crashed off the road in Dunlavin, County Wicklow PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves crash over the sea wall at Cleveleys near Blackpool, Lancashire PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Lawson Robinson clears snow from his Nenthead miniature village in Cumbria PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Lawson Robinson clears snow from his Nenthead miniature village in Cumbria PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves crash against the marina wall in Brighton PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Traffic in snowy conditions on the N7 in Dublin PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures A girl watches the waves on the beach in Brighton as Storm Freya is set to bring strong winds of up to 80mph PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves batter the coast at Porthleven, Cornwall PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Peope drive in snowy conditions in Rathcoole in Dublin PA Storm Freya hits with winds up to 80mph: in pictures Waves crash against the marina wall in Brighton PA

The Met Office has issued two further warnings for wind.

The first covers much of Northern Ireland and begins at 3pm on Tuesday and will last until midnight.

The second covers much of England and Northern Ireland and will be in place from around midnight on Wednesday until 3pm.

During those yellow warning periods, there could be gusts of 60-70mph across Northern Ireland, while England could see winds of between 50-55mph and 60-65mph in coastal areas.

Wet and windy weather is forecast for the rest of the week.

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Storm Gareth was named by the Irish Meteorological Service.