The Met Office has issued a warning from 12noon on Wednesday until 7am Thursday for the whole country apart from southern England and northern Scotland.
Storm Agnes has been named by the Met Office as the deep area of low-pressure that will impact much of the UK on Wednesday and into Thursday as a Yellow Warning for wind Is issued for a large area of the UK, with a rain warning also issued for parts of the UK.
The Met Office said there could be a danger to life and risk of injury from flying debris. There could be damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs. Power cuts could happen and mobile phone coverage could also be affected.
Storm Agnes will move into western areas of the UK and Ireland on Wednesday, with the strongest winds most likely on Irish Sea coasts, though it will be a widely windy day across the UK.
The MetOffice has said: “The strongest winds are expected to affect Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland, west and northwest Wales, Cumbria and Lancashire where some places inland may see gusts of 60mph and 65 to 75 mph over hills and around coasts with a small chance of a few places seeing around 80mph.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said: “While the precise track and depth of Storm Agnes is still being determined, there’s a high likelihood of wind gusts around 50 to 60mph for some inland areas.”
As well as very strong winds, Storm Agnes will also bring heavy rain, with the highest totals more likely in Scotland, northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Around 60mm of rain is possible in a few places over high ground.
Transport disruption is also likely, with some roads and bridges likely to close.
In new advice for drivers an AA spokesperson said: "Many places across the UK are likely to see strong winds this week and it's very likely trees and debris will be littering the roads. Drivers should be very cautious, especially in rural or woody areas. If you see twigs or small branches on the road it could be a sign that a tree has fallen just around the bend, so pay extra attention to the path up ahead.”
“As always in windy weather, leave plenty of space behind other vehicles and adjust your speed to suit the conditions, especially when crossing bridges or passing high-sided vehicles. Those on two wheels are especially vulnerable to strong winds, so you should pass these with care.”
Storm Agnes’s influence on UK weather is expected to weaken on Thursday afternoon, as it wakens rain will move in from the south late on Thursday and into Friday, with some heavy bursts possible for some areas of England and Wales.
Looking ahead towards the weekend, a ridge of high pressure from the south is expected to bring a period of more settled weather, though some showers could continue through the weekend.
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