100mph gales that are bringing havoc our way

BRITAIN is bracing itself for a double battering this weekend, with hurricane-force winds and snow threatening to bring travel chaos and structural damage.

Scotland will be the worst hit, with gusts of 100mph expected, but Cumbria and the North East could also face 70mph winds.

The gales are caused by a 250mph Atlantic jet stream heading for the north of Scotland from the US.

An amber weather warning has been issued for the region, warning people to ‘be prepared’, while a yellow warning is in force for the rest of Scotland and the North.

Met Office forecaster Calum MacColl said: ‘There will be some damaging winds, very severe.

‘In that amber area, we could see gusts of up to 100mph. That could cause a bit of damage. In the South the winds will be picking up too. We could see strong waves across coastal areas. People need to take care and be vigilant.’

Scotland could see lashing rain, while lighter rain will move across England from the west.

Today will be ‘exceptionally warm’ in the South, with temperatures of up to 16C (60F).

Up to 15cm of snow is due to hit Scotland, while lighter falls are expected in the Lake District and Pennines tomorrow and Sunday morning as cold north-westerly winds force temperatures down.

The winds are expected to be the worst since October 2013, when two people died, tens of thousands of homes were without power, trees were uprooted, trains and flights cancelled and floods crippled swathes of the UK.