Storm Ashley to batter UK with 80mph gales as Met Office issues yellow weather warning

Devon is expected to be hit by heavy rain

Brits are braced for a battering as Storm Ashley is set to unleash strong winds and heavy rain on Sunday, October 20. Ireland's Met Éireann officially branded it Storm Ashley this morning, Friday, October 18, flagging up the danger of wind gusts topping 80mph and potential flooding, particularly in coastal regions.

As reported by Wales Online, the Met Office has consequently issued a yellow warning effective from 3am on Sunday until 12pm on Monday, covering parts of north Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and north west England. Despite not being covered by the warning, Devon looks set for a barrage of heavy rain on Sunday.

A Met Office rain radar shows downpours sweeping across the county from early in the morning. The rain should clear by the early afternoon.

BBC Breakfast's weather sage Matt Taylor has forecast exceptionally tough conditions for western coasts. Storm Ashley will rapidly form on Saturday evening and could bring destructive winds and flooding. There is added concern because of potential high tides in coastal areas.

Tony Wisson, Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist, stated: "This low-pressure system is not expected to develop until Friday near the coast of Canada, so at this stage there is still a lot of uncertainty about the strength and track of this system as it interacts with the jet stream over the weekend. It's likely that parts of Ireland will see impacts from this before the UK though.

"Across the UK, we're expecting a windy period from Sunday into Monday. However, parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Northwest England and North West Wales are at an increased risk of disruption.

"Strong south to southeasterly winds are likely to develop on Sunday morning, with gusts of 50-60mph possible in some inland areas, particularly Northern Ireland and western Scotland, and potentially up to 60-70mph along exposed coasts and hills."

“Winds will then likely turn southwesterly, with a period of especially strong winds possible during Sunday afternoon and evening in western Scotland, where gusts could potentially reach 70-80mph in exposed areas, and more generally 55-65mph in other parts of the warning area. These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides, may cause some disruption.

"It’s likely that Sunday’s wind warning will be updated and refined as confidence increases, and more warnings for the rainfall that is expected is likely. It is therefore important people stay up to date with the latest forecast.”