The Met Office has named 69 areas across the UK at risk of power cuts this weekend as Storm Dave sweeps the country.
The national forecaster has issued two amber weather warnings for wind covering parts of North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and Humber, Scotland and Wales from 7pm on Saturday evening until 3am on Sunday morning. Gusts are forecast to reach 60-70mph widely, while some coastal and exposed areas could see gusts of around 80mph. The Met Office has warned that the weather is expected to be “disruptive and potentially damaging”, leading to longer journey times and cancellations, road closures, flying debris and damage to buildings.
There is also a “good chance” the strong winds will lead to power cuts in areas covered by the weather warnings, as well as disruption to other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
The amber warnings come alongside several yellow weather warnings for wind covering the whole of Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and parts of northern England.
Across all warning areas, gusts of 50-60mph are expected widely and wind speeds will peak at different times as the storm moves across the north of the UK, with Northern Ireland due to see the worst of the weather on Saturday afternoon, before the storm spreads more widely across the north this evening.
The Met Office said: “A spell of very strong southwesterly, then westerly winds is expected across north Wales, northern England and southern Scotland on Saturday evening and overnight before easing early on Sunday. Gusts of 60-70 mph are possible widely with some coastal or exposed locations seeing gusts of around 80 mph.
“Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions; drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, be aware of high sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking, and give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual.
“Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees. In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.”
Met Office advice recommends that households prepare for the disruptive weather by securing items around their property, as well as gathering torches, batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essentials in the event of a power cut.
Listed are the 69 UK areas covered by an amber or yellow weather warning for wind on Saturday and Sunday, which could result in power cuts: