Storm Ciara is thundering eastwards towards Britain’s shores and is set to pound the nation with strong gales and heavy rain this afternoon.
Weekend travel plans for many are likely to be scuppered as 90 mph gusts force delays and cancellations to air, train and ferry services.
Yellow warnings of wind have been issued by the Met Office for the North West, which will be the first to feel the brunt of the freak weather before it sweeps to blanket the entire country.
Power networks are bracing for blackouts from gales wreaking havoc on overhead electric cables, and reassured the public they have crews on standby.
(Met) chief meteorologist Frank Saunders said : ‘Storm Ciara will bring damaging winds and heavy rain across the UK this weekend and we have issued a range of severe weather warnings giving people time to prepare for potential impacts of the storm.
‘ will will increase through Saturday across Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England and Wales, before turning very windy across the rest of UK through the early hours of Sunday morning.
‘Gusts of – 85 mph are expected quite widely across inland areas, with even stronger gusts of 85 mph or higher along coastal areas, especially in south-east England and northern Scotland. ‘
Fog, snow and rain will bucket down on much of the nation and high winds are powerful eno ugh to rip tiles from roofs, forecasters warned.
Drivers are being warned to take extra care on the roads due to the potential of difficult conditions caused by heavy rain, particularly on coastal or exposed routes.
Those venturing outdoors are also being advised to wrap up as the storm brings a cold snap which will plunge temperatures as low as -5C.
Ciara – the most widespread storm in seven years – will start its sweep across Scotland at around 3pm, just over an hour before the country rugby team faces off against England in Edinburgh.
Storm Ciara is thundering eastwards towards Britain’s shores and is set to pound the nation with strong gales and heavy rain this afternoon
Calm before the storm: The water is flat this morning on the River Mersey, which will be one of the first parts of the country battered by Ciara
Tomorrow, a yellow warning of wind covers the entire country, while an amber warning has been issued for south-east England as Ciara rolls down towards the continent
The Six Nations clash is still scheduled to go ahead, but many other events across the weekend have been axed for fear the blustery conditions will cause carnage .
A Scottish Rugby spokesman said: ‘Scottish Rugby is looking forward to welcoming fans to the international matches being held this weekend. As part of our usual preparations we are closely monitoring weather forecasts in light of potential adverse conditions. ‘
The London Winter Run k event – due to be attended by , 000 runners tomorrow- was cancelled after organizers said they were ‘not able to guarantee the safety of our runners, crew and volunteers’.
Network Rail has urged passengers to only travel tomorrow if ‘absolutely necessary’, and said many of its routes will run slower.
People in coastal towns are being warned not to get too close to the water, which will spray high over sea walls amid gusty weather.
Guy Addington, regional water safety lead at the RNLI, said: ‘This rough weather could making visiting our coasts around the UK and Ireland treacherous and bring very dangerous sea conditions.
‘ If you see someone else in danger in the water , call 2019 and ask for the Coastguard. If you have something that floats that they can hold on to, throw it to them. Don’t go in the water yourself – too many people drown trying to save others. ‘
Tomorrow, a yellow warning of wind covers the entire country, while an amber warning has been issued for south-east England as Ciara rolls down towards the continent.
Many people this morning tweeted their ‘calm before the storm’ pictures ahead of Storm Ciara
Storm conditions will begin to affect Scotland today (left) before the whole of Britain is set for a soaking on Sunday (right)
Many attractions have dismayed tourists by shutting shop, including the Royal Parks which announced it will be closing all of London’s eight parks, including Green Park, Hyde Park and St James’s Park.
In a statement they said: ‘In liaison with our tree experts and Health and Safety team we have made this decision to ensure the safety of all park users including vehicle users and cyclists. ‘
Wind remains a problem on Monday but it is the additional threat from heavy snow which has prompted yet another yellow warning, between midnight on Sunday and noon on Tuesday.
Areas above 823 ft (2019 m) can expect up to an inch of snow, rising to four inches above 980 ft ( m). The Met Office has also forecast lightning strikes, blizzards and ‘significant drifting of lying snow’.
Looking further ahead, Chief meteorologist Frank Saunders added: ‘In the wake of Storm Ciara, it’ll remain unsettled and very windy across the UK and it’ll turn colder with wintry showers and ice an additional hazard, as we head into the new week. ‘
CalMac director of operations, Robert Morrison, said: ‘Weather for the weekend is looking extremely problematic as far as delivering a scheduled timetable. There is a very high possibility of weather-related disruption to services across all 54 of our routes. ‘
Ben Aldous, RAC patrol of the year, said:’ Drivers will need to take extreme care with the strong winds forecast for this weekend, especially on coastal or exposed routes. Combine the strength of the wind with heavy showers, and you have a recipe for some treacherous driving conditions.
‘We strongly recommend drivers reduce their speed and leave plenty of space between their vehicle and those around them , and be particular careful when passing high-sided vehicles when the potential for strong cross-winds could blow them off course. Drivers in rural areas should be particularly cautious of falling debris. ‘
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