The Met office have issued a weather warning for large parts of the UK over the weekend. Storm Antoni is the first storm named by the Met Office in this season.
From late Friday night and into Saturday, Storm Antoni is forecast to bring strong winds and a spell of heavy rain resulting in the issuing of weather warnings.
Northern Ireland will be the first to see the influence of this low-pressure system, with a warning for rain in force from the early hours of Saturday morning.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Storm Antoni will bring some potentially disruptive weather on Saturday as it moves from west to east. Northern Ireland is likely to see some of the highest rainfall totals, with 40-60mm falling in some spots, but 20-30mm more widely. Away from the warning area many will still see a very wet day, especially in north Wales and north England.
“Storm Antoni will also bring strong winds to a swathe of the UK. The strongest winds will affect parts southwest England and southwest Wales where exposed coasts and high ground could see gusts in excess of 60mph. In these areas, gusts inland could reach 50-55mph for a time. These windy conditions will likely coincide with high tides which will present an additional challenge for coastal areas.
“Busy travel networks at this time of year and the possibility of people having made plans to be outside have resulted in the system meeting our criteria for naming, with a strong chance of disruption for those within the warning areas.”
Warnings highlight potential transport disruption and the chance of some power cuts occurring.
The RAC’s Rod Dennis said: “We expect Saturday to be the worst day on the roads of the summer so far, especially for anyone in the southwest of England – and that’s a lot of people as our research shows it’s the most popular part of the country for leisure trips by car this year.
“Conditions will be atrocious with a wholly unpleasant mix of very strong winds and locally intense rainfall. The best advice is to slow down significantly to stay safe and avoid exposed moorland and coastal routes until the storm passes. Drivers towing caravans and trailers need to be particularly careful in these conditions and those with boxes and bikes on the roof should double-check they’re secured properly.
“Drivers should also watch out for fallen trees and be prepared for the disruption they cause.
“Nationally, we estimate around 4m drivers will be using the roads for leisure journeys across the whole weekend.”
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