Winds of 70mph to batter UK as Storm Kathleen strikes

WINDS of up to 70mph will hit the UK this weekend with the arrival of Storm Kathleen, the Met Office has said.

Yellow weather warnings are in place along the west coast of England and Scotland from 8am to 10pm on Saturday as strong winds are expected to cause large waves and spread of debris.

The warning covers Cornwall, most of Wales and parts of Lancashire and Cumbria. Away from coastal areas, winds of up to 50mph are expected during the second named storm since January.

The Met Office has said the wind could lead to power cuts, road closures and public transport cancellations.

Storm Kathleen comes after the wettest 18 months since 1836, which meteorologists have said is likely to continue into the start of summer.

The Met Office said the weekend would feel warmer than in recent weeks, with highs of 20C (68F) possible in south-east England on Friday but would be unseasonably windy. Alex Burkill, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “There is a good chance we could see highs of 20C for the first time this year.”

The storm is affecting Spain and Portugal where it has been named Storm Olivia. When it crosses to the UK its name will change to Storm Kathleen.

Storms in the UK are named from a list compiled by the Irish forecaster Met Eireann, the UK’S Met Office and the Dutch weather forecasting service KNMI. The beginning of the storm naming season, which starts in September, was one of the busiest since the practice began in 2015.

It is the second time a storm in the UK has reached the letter K, following Storm Katie in March 2016. No storm season has gone beyond this letter.

A yellow warning for snow is in place on Friday in central Scotland. A rain warning follows, with downfalls particularly expected over higher ground.

Travel disruption expected on Saturday as the storm spreads south could affect families returning from their Easter holidays.