Storm Bram to bring strong winds and heavy rain to UK

Storm Bram will lead to strong winds and heavy rain in the UK later on Monday and throughout Tuesday, forecasters have warned.Named by Met Éireann, Ireland’s equivalent of the Met Office, Storm Bram will move north and to the west of the UK on Monday, bringing heavy rain and winds to parts of the country.Many areas of Britain will be affected on Tuesday, with yellow and amber warnings for wind and rain across Scotland, Ireland" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1853" data-entity-type="location">Northern Ireland, Wales, and parts of north-west and south-west England.The Met Office said strong winds would last from Monday evening until Wednesday, with 50-60mph winds expected widely, and 70-80mph in the north-west of England.Heavy rain is also expected across western areas, with 40-60mm of rain in places and up to 80-100mm in Wales and south-west England.A Met Office amber warning for wind, valid from 4pm on Tuesday until midnight, covers north-west Scotland.Heavy rain may bring flooding and travel disruption in places, and there is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to homes and businesses.The warning covers possible flooding to homes and buildings, and delays or cancellations to train and bus services.Strong winds could cause delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport alongside buses and train services, the Met Office said.Coastal regions can also be affected by large waves.The Met Office chief forecaster, Dan Suri, said: “Storm Bram will bring a very wet and windy spell of weather, with very strong winds and further heavy rain, which, falling over saturated ground, could cause flooding impacts.“Within the amber wind warning over north-west Scotland, gusts of up to 90mph could be recorded. More widely, gusts of 50-60mph, and perhaps 70mph in a few spots, are expected across Wales, south-west England and Ireland" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1853" data-entity-type="location">Northern Ireland.“Rain is an additional impact from Storm Bram, with the possibility of 100mm over higher ground in the south of Wales and parts of Devon.“This could require escalations to existing warnings, so it’s important to stay up to date with the forecast in your area, as well as any flood warnings from your local environment agency.”Advice to the public includes to secure loose objects such as ladders and garden furniture, close and securely fasten doors and windows, and park cars in a garage.The Met Office said Storm Bram would slowly pull away during Wednesday, leaving the day windy, especially in the north of England.Thursday will be a drier day for many across the UK, with the chance of frost in central and the south-eastern parts.The RAC breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “Strong winds can make vehicles harder to control, so it’s best that drivers slow down and keep a firm grip on the wheel. Rural and coastal routes will feel the worst of the gusts, with fallen branches or even trees likely to cause disruption.“We recommend drivers check local forecasts and consider delaying non-essential trips until the storm passes.”