The UK is bracing for its third storm of the season - Storm Ciarán - which is set to hit this week bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds. 

The Met Office has already issued a number of yellow weather warnings for parts of the UK due to the heavy rain and strong winds from Storm Ciarán.

The yellow weather warnings for the storm will be in place from 6pm on Wednesday (November 1) until 11.59pm on Thursday (November 2) and will affect southern areas of England and Wales including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

While there are a number of rain warnings in place on Monday and Tuesday for other parts of the UK in the lead-up to Storm Ciarán.

Parts of the UK are still recovering from the last storm - Storm Babet - which battered towns, villages and cities all over the country earlier this month.

What to expect from Storm Ciarán

The Met Office said Storm Ciarán will bring a period of strong winds and heavy rain across parts of southern England and Wales on Thursday.

Weather will continue to be unsettled for much of the UK this week.

A number of severe weather warnings for rain are expected to be issued for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before a deep area of low pressure, named today as Storm Ciarán, brings strong winds and heavy rain to southern parts of England and Wales, said the Met Office.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Chris Almond, added: “Winds associated with Storm Ciarán are likely to gust to 80mph along the south coast of England, with a small risk of somewhere exposed seeing 90mph, and winds could even gust up to 50 or 60 mph further inland.

“This deep low-pressure system will also bring heavy rain to much of the UK, but the heaviest rain is expected in southern and western areas with 20 to 25mm quite widely across the region but up to 40 to 60mm potentially over higher ground.

"Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of further impacts such as flooding in areas that are already struggling to clean up from the heavy rainfall we have seen over the last week or so.”

What different Met Office weather warnings mean

As part of the yellow weather warning associated with Storm Ciarán on Wednesday and Thursday, people across the UK are being warned to expect:

  • Delays or cancellations to train and bus services
  • Flooding
  • Road closures
  • Fast-flowing and/or deep floodwater, causing a danger to life

For more information on Storm Ciarán or to get the latest weather warning updates visit the Met Office website.