UK weather: Yellow warning as heavy rain and winds set to batter Britain

19 May 2021, 13:18

A yellow weather warning has been issued for parts of the UK as people in the south and south-west brace themselves for a lashing by heavy rain and winds.

Showers and gusts have been forecast for the week, leading to warnings being put in place in the South of England for Thursday and Friday.

The Met Office advised people to protect their garden furniture in advance to prepare for the change in weather.

A meteorologist from the agency, Craig Snell, said that a deep band of unseasonable low pressure will bring more wet and windy weather, with some coastal areas likely to be hit with huge gusts of wind.

Read more: AI uses time and weather data to predict out-of-hospital cardiac arrest risk

Read more: UK weather: Wet week ahead as UK's lockdown eases

Mr Snell added: "We're expecting in the South West and the South Wales coasts gusts reaching 60mph. Inland, potentially 40-50mph."

"This time of year, with the trees in full leaf, it could potentially bring some small branches down and because there's a lot more outdoor furniture, we advise people that it is a bit vulnerable to strong winds and to tie it down."

He continued: "It's certainly going to end up being quite a wet month."

The Met Office warned that there could be disruptions to travel, saying "delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely" and that trains and buses could also be affected.

Coastal communities can expect spray and/or large waves.

This month has seen "wetter than average" weather with 70mm of rain in the UK in the first 17 days.

It could be one of the wettest Mays on record, surpassing 1967, when 131.7mm of rain fell across Britain.