UK weather: Storm Herminia to bring heavy rain and gales after 'strongest' storm in decade

Storm Eowyn was "probably the strongest" to hit the UK in at least a decade, according to the Met Office - and in some areas was the most intense in "20 or 30 years".

But don't expect settled weather because Storm Eowyn has gone, Sky News meteorologist Dr Chris England has warned.

"The Spanish-named Storm Herminia will bring heavy rain, gales and hill snow up from the South West on Sunday and on Monday," he said.

"It won't be as windy as Friday, but with trees and structures already damaged in places, there's a greater risk than normal with a storm of this intensity."

It is forecast to hit the southwest of England and Wales first and then move into Northern Ireland and northern England on Sunday afternoon, reaching parts of Scotland by the evening.

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Following the damage caused by Storm Eowyn, there is greater risk than normal from Storm Herminia.

"Obviously places maybe currently have a bit of a lower threshold for wind strengths at this stage, following all the disruption and damage that's been put in place," said Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey.

"It is something that people certainly need to be wary of, and still taking care of, as we head into Sunday and into the start of the new working week as well - the risk of localised flooding, further flying debris and travel disruption is possible as a result of all of this."

Although Storm Eowyn has now cleared the UK, it will remain windy in the coming days, with "numerous yellow wind warnings" in place, the Met Office said.

Sunday

A yellow wind warning is in place for South East England, South West England, Northern Ireland, Wales, parts of North West England and southwest Scotland, running from 8am until 3pm on Sunday.

"Winds are likely to gust 50 to 60mph quite widely, and around some exposed coasts and hills, gusts to 70mph are possible," forecasters said.

A yellow warning for heavy rain which may lead to local flooding will be in place from 8am on Sunday until 6am on Monday.

The warning covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West England, South West England, East of England, London, South East England and Wales.

"Quite widely, 10-20mm will fall, with locally nearer 30-50mm over high ground," said the Met Office.

There is also a snow and ice warning in place across Scotland until 10am on Sunday.

Monday into Tuesday

For the start of the week, a yellow wind warning lasting from 6am on Monday to 6am on Tuesday has been issued covering the East of England, London and the South East, the South West as well as much of Wales.

Gusts of 60 or 70mph are possible near the coast, with potential gusts of 50mph inland, said the Met Office.

Some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will probably be affected by spray or large waves.

The agency added that some disruption to transport and short-term power outages were likely.

There is also a yellow warning for heavy rain from 6am to 11.59pm on Monday that could bring "some disruption and flooding" in the West Midlands and much of Wales.

Bus and rail services will likely be affected and spray and flooding on roads will probably increase journey times, the Met Office said.

Flooding of "a few homes and businesses" is likely, as is "some interruption to power supplies and other services".

Heavy rain means 20mm-40mm will probably fall "fairly widely" while higher ground could see 50-70mm.

Hundreds of thousands of homes without power

Storm Eowyn left more than a million people in the UK without power, and there was significant travel disruption across the UK and Ireland.

On Friday, a 100mph gust was recorded at Drumalbin in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, and parts of Ireland had the highest windspeeds since records began, getting up to 114mph in Mace Head, County Galway.

About 32,000 properties in Scotland were still without power on Saturday night.

In Northern Ireland, 140,000 homes and businesses remained without power and across the Republic of Ireland, around 460,000 had no power.

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A Cobra meeting was held on Saturday to discuss Storm Eowyn and the government will "stand ready to provide further support", a spokesperson said.

Engineers have been dispatched to Northern Ireland and Scotland, they said.

Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has appealed for "patience" as work is carried out to restore power supplies and transport services in the storm's aftermath.

On Friday, people all over Scotland were urged to stay indoors to avoid injury in hurricane-force winds, as a rare Met Office red weather warning was issued for much of the south of the country.

Among the buildings affected was a Co-op store in Scotland which collapsed on Friday after Storm Eowyn passed through Denny, Falkirk.

Man killed by falling tree

A man who died in County Donegal after a tree fell on his car during the storm has been named as 20-year-old Kacper Dudek. The incident happened around 5.30am on Friday at Feddyglass in Raphoe.

Police forensic collision investigators are carrying out a full examination of the scene.

Unsettled spell to continue next week

The Met Office said yet another low-pressure front will pick up on Wednesday and again arrive in the southwest.

Mr Vautrey said: "South-western areas certainly bearing the brunt this time in terms of the most unsettled conditions.

"The first half of next week, still pretty unsettled."