If you have been looking at the Met Office web-site you will have noticed an advisory warning for severe gales is currently in force for Friday. This can be found at: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/yh/yh_forecast_warnings.html

We are now entering a spell of wet and windy weather so I thought a bit more detail might be of help.

The winds are not particularly strong at the moment but they will increase during the afternoon and gusts 40-50mph, possibly 60mph, are expected during the evening from a southwesterly direction. The winds will then decrease after midnight.

The next period of strong winds are then likely to develop during Friday morning. The west to southwesterly winds will again gusts 40 to 50mph, locally as high as 60mph, during Friday afternoon and evening before decreasing again during Friday night.

These sort of wind speeds are not unusual for February but they will lead to very difficult driving conditions, especially for high-sided vehicles on the more exposed roads and bridges. There will also no doubt some damage to trees and buildings. So not an unusual event but just something worth baring in mind.

Along with the gales there will be periods of rain. The first one will come along Thursday evening and night with the next one probably Friday night and during Saturday. Pennine areas will catch the worst of the rain and the EA are monitoring the affects of the rain on the rivers and watercourses.

I suggest keeping an eye out for updated advisories/warnings on the Met Office website or preferably Hazard Manager where the rainfall radar and forecast wind speeds may add useful information.

Hope this helps

Graham Butler, PWS Advisor.
Met Office, Exchange Street, Stockport, Cheshire, SK3 0ER.