Storm Gerrit: Met Office wind, rain and snow warning given

The latest storm, known as Storm Gerrit, comes just weeks after Bolton, Bury and much of Lancashire was hit by Storms Elin and Fergus and around a month since the impact of Storm Debi.

Trees had been uprooted and flooding caused by the previous storms, with the Met Office now warning that similar disruption could lie ahead yet again.

Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “Due to the extent of the warnings that are being issued, it was deemed that a named storm would be a good idea because it will highlight to the public the risk associated, particularly as tomorrow is likely to be quite a busy day on the roads with people travelling back home from Christmas and things like that.”

A storm is named when it is deemed to have the potential to cause medium or high impacts on the UK and/or Ireland.

Uprooted trees caused major disruption after Storms Elin and Fergus (Image: Newsquest)

The Met Office and Met Eireann launched the scheme in 2015 to name storms as part of efforts to raise awareness of extreme weather events.

Mr Partridge said wet and windy weather will cover “pretty much the whole of the UK”, with significant snowfall in parts of Scotland.

A yellow rain and snow warning is in place from 6am to 9pm across much of Scotland on Wednesday.

Mr Patridge said: “There are wind warnings out for the south of England, across the English Channel coast.

“But we also have wind warnings in force for parts of western Wales, north-west England, Northern Ireland, northern Scotland and the Northern Isles.”

He said only the central section of the UK does not have a wind warning.

Wind warning areas can expect gusts of 50-60mph, with up to 70mph on high ground and exposed coasts.

Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely.

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Mr Patridge said: “In terms of rain, we have rain warnings out for the whole of Northern Ireland, western Wales, North West England, and then there’s a combined sort of rain and snow warning for Scotland.”

Rain in the warning areas is forecast to be between 40-60mm, with the potential for 70-90mm in the western hills of Wales and the western side of the Pennines.

There is a chance of power cuts, as well as a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded.

Anywhere above 200 metres in Scotland and the Northern Isles is likely to see some snow, according to Mr Patridge.