UK weather: Met Office issues new weather warnings for this weekend as strong winds hit UK - full list of locations with alerts

“Unseasonably windy weather” is set to hit the UK this weekend according to the Met Office after much of the country was battered by heavy rain and thunderstorms.

On Wednesday (2 August) the Met Office forecast 20-25mm of rain to fall within an hour and possibly 40mm in two to three hours in a few places. Six fire engines and 40 firefighters from London Fire Bridge (LFB) were deployed to Tokyngton Avenue in Wembley after flooding was reported and a man trapped inside a van had to be rescued.

Several yellow thunderstorm alerts were issued for regions across the UK on Wednesday, as well as warning alerts for heavy rain which affected the northeast of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the East Midlands.

“Unseasonably” windy weather also affected the southwest, southeast of England and London on Wednesday leading to disruption to travel and outdoor activities. Gusts were expected to widely reach 45-50 mph and in excess of 55-60 mph in the most exposed spots in the far south and southwest of England.

The Met Office has now issued new yellow weather alerts for strong winds on Saturday (5 August) from 6am to 9pm.

The forecaster said the strong winds will be “accompanied by showers or longer spells of rain” which will affect parts of England and Wales. The highest winds are likely to affect Irish Sea coastal areas from early morning on Saturday, pushing gradually south and east, and spreading inland.

The Met Office said inland gusts of 35-40mph “are possible” and there is a risk of 45-50mph winds across parts of south Wales and southwest England.

Gusts are expected to reach 50-55mph in coastal areas, and up to 60-65mph in the most exposed coastal areas of Wales and southwest of England.

Towards Saturday eveing the wind strengths will begin to slow and ease from the west.

The warnings come after the Met Office has confirmed that conditions will remain unsettled through the start of August, with days of sunny spells and showers perhaps interspersed with periods of more persistent rain as low pressure systems move across the UK.

In the later half of August, there is an increased chance the unsettled conditions will continue with a mixture of rain and showers continuing to affect the whole country.

There is a possibility for short-lived drier, brighter and occasionally warmer interludes towards the end of August but the Met Office has dashed any hopes of a heatwave by saying that “a prolonged dry and hot spell is unlikely”.

Which regions have been issued weather alerts?

Several regions have been issued a yellow weather alert for strong winds on Saturday (5 August).

Listed below are the affected regions.

• South West England
• West Midlands
• Wales
• London
• South East England