IT’S STORM NEW YEAR BLOWOUT!

Happy New Year to all our readers CITY RING OF STEEL Met Office warns: ‘A hard rain’s gonna fall’

FEROCIOUS winds and rain unleashed by Storm Dylan are just the beginning as Britain faces weeks of horror weather.

The UK will be hit with a barrage of hell conditions from the early hours of today, including 70mph winds.

But it will get even worse with gales, torrential rain and floods set to lash the country just hours after Dylan dies down.

Forecasters are warning Storm Eleanor is expected to rage across Britain within days, bringing torrential rain and thunderstorms.

Danger

It is predicted to bring 70mph gales, as well as causing huge waves that smash through coastal protections.

Parts of Ireland are said to be particularly at risk, with the Met Office warning of “gales so strong there is a risk of injuries and danger to life from flying debris”.

It predicts power cuts, travel disruption and tiles flying ® off buildings. The onslaught is expected to be so severe that more than 70 Environment Agency flood alerts have been issued already, as well as four serious flood warnings.

It comes as stormy weather yesterday rocked Britain, including Blackpool where huge waves swamped the seafront.

Met Office experts are now warning families to watch out in the next week.

Forecaster Steven Keates said: “It is a very unsettled week ahead with spells of strong winds and rain affecting the UK. There is the potential for gusts of 60-70mph. If these ramp up it will be a case of watch this space.”

No respite is in sight, with Britain also set to catch the tail end of Storm Carmen after it smashes France.

Windy

This will bring days of strong winds which will assault Britain from today.

Keates added: “The south will see the strongest winds on Wednesday before another system comes in on Thursday bringing wet and windy weather to most.

“Then next week we are expecting a big change in the weather, it is looking like turning much colder as we get a push from the north.”

The stormy conditions will continue until the weekend when there are signs a freezing blast will roar in from the Arctic. James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said Britain would be hit by a bitter winter blast.

This could see heavy snow, thunderstorms and wind across the UK. Mr Madden said: “We would with high confidence state that this will be a period warranting severe weather warnings for large parts of the country.”

ARMED police patrolled the streets ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations in London. Thousands were stationed across the city, as well as sniffer dogs and vehicle barriers. There were fewer officers on the streets than last year and Scotland Yard said...