Storm Debi weather warnings in place as UK braces for gale force winds and heavy rain
An amber weather warning is in place for swathes of north-west England on Monday as Storm Debi brings heavy rain and severe gale-force winds to the UK.
Forecasters have warned damage to buildings is likely and the Met Office is encouraging vigilance towards flying debris, as tiles blown loose from roofs may present a danger to life.
The alert for England applies from 10am until 4pm and encompasses areas north of Liverpool, across to Burnley and Lancaster and west to areas that include Blackpool.
The strongest winds are expected to batter the Republic of Ireland, where a red alert – the highest level that can be issued – has been implemented for 14 counties with a warning of a danger to life.
Other parts of Ireland are covered by amber warnings until mid-morning.
Meteorological service Met Éireann said there was a chance of flooding and a risk to roads posed by fallen trees.
Simon Partridge, a spokesman for the Met Office, said that for “parts of north-west Wales and England, there is a possibility of 70 to 80mph winds”.
“It will be a wet and blustery day for all,” he added.
A yellow warning for wind is in place from 4am until 6pm for areas including Bangor and St Davids in Wales and Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool in England. Aberdeenshire in Scotland carries a yellow warning for rain from 10am until 9pm.
The Met Office also warned that roads and bridges are likely to close, meaning longer journey times and public transport and other cancellations are possible, with road, rail, air and ferry services to be affected.
Jonathan Vautrey, meteorologist for the Met Office, urged people to “take care before you travel” as morning rush hour is expected to be affected.
He said: “There will be some heavy rainfall, the potential for flying debris, the potential for disruption to travel and infrastructure in places.”
The storm is expected to move into the North Sea during Monday evening.
Matthew Lehnert, Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, added “Storm Debi has developed rapidly overnight and will bring impacts across parts of the UK today.
“Because of the particular risk of impacts to parts of County Armagh and County Down this morning and parts of northwest England through much of the day we have issued two amber wind warnings.”
Storm Debi’s arrival comes after parts of the UK and Ireland were devastated by floods during storms Babet and Ciaran, which both swept across the country in the past month.
