Storm Betty will bring some impacts to western areas of the UK in particular, with high winds and heavy rain likely for many.
A Met Office yellow warning for wind covers coastal areas of
western Wales, eastern Northern Ireland and parts of northwest England and
southwest Scotland. Rain warnings have also been issued from late Friday and
into Saturday for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
The weather warning, which covers large parts of Cumbria is
in place from 6pm today (Friday 18th August) until lunchtime tomorrow
(Saturday 19th August 19).
The adverse weather could bring some disruption to
transport, travel and temporary infrastructure as well as potential power cuts.
Penrith area is already feeling the early arrival of the windy conditions as
Storm Betty begins to move across Northern Ireland were the bigger impacts are
expected with 80mph winds forecast along with thunderstorms and heavy rain
before it crossed the Irish sea and across Cumbria over the next few hours.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “Friday and
Saturday will see unseasonably wet and windy conditions for much of the UK.
While Storm Betty will have higher impacts in Ireland, exposed Irish Sea coasts
of the UK could see gusts in excess of 70mph, with around 50mph more widely.
“Storm Betty is also bringing some large accumulations of
rainfall for the time of year, with some spots of Northern Ireland seeing
around 80mm of rain, though between 15-25mm is expected more widely. Parts of
Scotland could see similarly high accumulations, especially over higher
ground.”
Betty is the second storm named by the storm naming group of
Met Éireann, the Met Office and KNMI following Storm Antoni earlier in August.
This is the second time since storm naming was introduced in 2015 that two
storms have been named in August, following Ellen and Francis in August 2020.
People living or working on the coast should take extra care
during windy and stormy weather. To keep yourselves and others' safe, check the
forecasts and tides in your local area here.
Friday and Saturday will also see thunderstorms develop in some
areas of England. Successive warnings have been issued with some impactful
thunderstorms possible for some on Friday and into Saturday.
Jason added: “While many within the thunderstorm warning
areas may see relatively little rainfall, there is the potential for a few
places to see around 20-40mm of rain within an hour, and possibly around
40-60mm over three hours. Large hail and frequent lightning are additional
hazards for the likely overnight thunderstorms in eastern areas of England.”
Saturday will see the remnants of Storm Betty move north and
leave behind some showers in western areas of the UK, though western Scotland
will hold on to more persistent rain through the day.
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