Forecasters say Helene will hit Wales this evening

FORECASTERS issued a new severe weather warning as storm Helene is expected to hit Wales this evening.

Ferocious winds lurking in the Atlantic threaten to whip across western regions of Wales and England later today, with gusts of up to 70mph in exposed areas.

Helene is among a glut of tropical storms brewing in the region, with southern US states being battered by storm Florence.

There had been a question mark over which path storm Helene would take, but yesterday morning the Met Office updated a yellow warning that had been issued on Friday.

The Met Office said: “This warning has been updated to extend it into northern England and the far southeast of Scotland and bring its time of cessation forward.”

Instead of being between 6pm on Monday and noon on Tuesday, the warning now runs out at 8am.

“Storm Helene is expected to move northeastwards across the British Isles later Monday and early Tuesday before clearing into the northern North Sea by early Tuesday morning.

“A spell of strong winds is expected, initially mainly in the far southwest of England and across western Wales. The strongest winds then transfer northwards to be over northern England and, perhaps, the far south of Scotland, during the early hours of Tuesday.

“Winds are likely to gust into the 40s or low 50mph quite widely across the warning area.

“Meanwhile, in some Irish Sea coastal areas, most likely in Wales and northwest England, gusts to 55-65mph are likely, with possible isolated gusts in excess of 70mph in the most exposed places.

“High gusts in the 50s or low 60mph area also possible over high ground in northern England during the early hours of Tuesday.”