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UK weather forecast: Storm Hannah set to batter country with 70mph winds

Storm Hannah is today set to batter the UK and Ireland with winds of more than 70mph.

A yellow severe weather warning has been issued, with powerful gusts expected to spark travel disruption across the southwest.

Ireland is set to bear the brunt of the storm, with the island’s weather service issuing an orange status advisory for large parts.

It comes after the Met Office on Thursday said its Irish partner had chosen to name the storm.

The warning in Ireland was due to start at 4pm and expire at 5am on Saturday.

Met Office forecasters said the yellow wind alert for the southwest of England and south Wales will come into force at 9pm.

It warned of gusts of up to 70mph on coasts.

Waves crash onto cars on the harbour arm at the Port of Dover in Kent during Storm Gareth in March (PA)
Waves crash onto cars on the harbour arm at the Port of Dover in Kent during Storm Gareth in March (PA)

The warning is due to last until 3pm on Saturday, with forecasters predicting "a risk of disruption to travel".

It is predicted that Hannah - the fourth named storm in the UK and Ireland in 2019 after Erik, Freya and Gareth - will lead to a much cooler Saturday, in contrast to the hot and sunny bank holiday weekend.

Highs of 25C were recorded at Heathrow and Northolt in London on what was the warmest Easter Monday on record in the UK and Ireland, but highs of just 13C are expected in the same areas on Saturday.

Alex Deakin, a Met Office meteorologist, said: "It will be such a shock when you compare it to last Saturday. Some places could be 15C lower than last Saturday. It's incredible, really.

"Some places through Saturday may be struggling in the single figures, while last Saturday we were in the mid 20s.

Ireland is to face the worst of the storm (PA)
Ireland is to face the worst of the storm (PA)

"It's going to be a much colder feel, and that's temperatures on the thermometer - when you add on the strength of the wind on Saturday, it's going to feel more like January at times, especially compared to last weekend when it felt like summer."

But Mr Deakin said that Sunday looks like a "half-decent day" weather-wise, saying: "It's particularly good news for people doing the London Marathon, because if it were on Saturday it would be a wash out, whereas Sunday looks a lot better."

Meanwhile, Met Eireen forecasters are predicting "very disturbed and unsettled" weather conditions, with the potential for stormy conditions in the south west of Ireland on Friday.

The meteorological service warned: "With many trees now in leaf, this system has the potential to result in trees down, leading to power outages and dangerous driving conditions."

On Thursday, a status yellow wind warning was issued for Connacht, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Donegal, Tipperary and Waterford, running from 11pm on Friday to 9am on Saturday.

But a Met Office spokesman said that by the "close of play" on Saturday evening the centre of the low pressure system would have moved on to the Netherlands, meaning the windy and stormy conditions will ease.