On Thursday, Storm Benjamin will smash the UK with up to 75mph winds as the Met Office issued the weather warnings of danger to life. The forecaster has given four yellow weather warnings in England and Wales with it forecasting downpours that are heavy to accompany the strong gusts.
Big waves and debris beat along sea fronts, coastal roads and properties in the windy weather may result in injuries and a danger to life, the Met Office warned.
The deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris, said: “Low pressure moving across the south of the UK on Thursday will bring both a spell of heavy rain and areas of strong winds.”
And as Storm Benjamin crosses the UK altogether, another warning of wind will be issued over south-west England and western Wales between 6am and 3pm with an additional danger of gales of 55mph along exposed coasts and headlands.
It will affect Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and some of the west of Wales, such as Swansea, Pembroke shire and as far north as Anglesey.
The Met Office said: “There is a small chance of gusts of 40 to 45mph across parts of Kent and Sussex arriving in the early hours of the morning and up to 55mph in coastal areas here top. Conditions are likely to improve here however, at least for a time, during Thursday morning.
“As Storm Benjamin then moved across the southeast of England, stronger northeast to northwest winds are likely to develop. Gusts of 50 to 60mph are probable quite widely, with 65 to 70mph possible near coasts.
“There is a smaller chance, should Storm Benjamin be at the stronger end of expectations, that wind gusts in excess of 70mph could develop for a time very locally, this most likely late morning and into the afternoon.”
France and Belgium will be the most impacted by the storm, but the disrupted weather in the UK will also be affected.
A yellow rain warning was issued between midnight and 9pm throughout the south and east of England and in some areas of South Wales, with the forecaster predicting that the homes and businesses would be likely to be flooded.
Thursday morning might bring up to 50mm of rainfall in some regions particularly in the South West.
“There is a small chance a few places could exceed this, most likely over North Devon and Cornwall and more generally in the east of the highlighted area,” the Met Office said.
“Conditions are expected to turn windy with a chance of gales, initially along southern and eastern coasts, but more widely across southern Britain during Thursday daytime.”
The forecaster said that the downpours can lead to inconveniences in transport, poor driving due to spray and flooding of the roads, and cancellation of some houses and businesses due to flooding.
