UK weather: Storm Elin to bring strong wind and heavy rain for many areas – as Met Office issues warnings

The UK and Ireland are set for strong winds and heavy rain this weekend – with gusts of up to 70mph possible in some areas.

Warnings have been issued for much of the UK on Saturday – with potential flooding and disruption on roads and public transport.

Areas facing the Irish Sea could get 70mph winds, while 55mph gusts are possible in the Midlands, northern England and Northern Ireland, the Met Office said.

The weather system has been named Storm Elin by the weather service in Ireland – which has issued its own warnings and is expected to have the strongest winds.

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Heavy rain alerts are also in force along a broad corridor from Derbyshire up to Cumbria until 3am on Sunday.

Large parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are also under rain warnings for most of Saturday.

The Met Office said up to 8cm (3.1 inches) of rain could fall in some areas.

Thirty three red flood warnings (flooding expected) and 201 less serious flood alerts (flooding possible) are also in place in England.

There’s a second storm – named Fergus – heading for Ireland and expected to hit on Sunday afternoon.

More very strong winds are forecast, as well as large waves on the coast. It’s expected to particularly affect Clare, Galway and Mayo in the west.

Saturday will be warmer than recent days in the UK.

Afternoon temperatures will range from about 13C (55F) in southern England, the Midlands and Wales, to 9-11C in the North East, and 8C in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Sunday is set to be calmer in most places in the UK, with just one warning for heavy rain remaining in northern England and the Midlands.

“We’re in for a wet and windy weekend. There’s a possibility of flooding because of the already saturated ground,” said the Met Office’s Stephen Dixon.

“By the afternoon most of the heavy wind and rain will have passed and it will just be showers for southern areas,” he added.

“We will also be seeing some quite strong winds in Wales, the Midlands, northern England and Northern Ireland, particularly coastal communities around the Irish Sea.”

It comes about a week after some areas – such as Cumbria and the North East – saw significant snowfall and freezing temperatures.