Met Office issues warning as Storm Antoni set to hit South West Wales on Saturday

The weather warning lasts from 8am to 8pm on Saturday, with forecasters warning people of the potential for injuries and danger to life from flying debris along with the possibility of some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs.

The warning also says people should be prepared for the possibility of disruption to road, rail, air and ferry services with longer journey times and cancellations possible. 

Power cuts may also occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

The Met Office is also warning people to take care close to the coastline, as large waves and beach material could be thrown onto seafronts, coastal roads and properties.  

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Storm Antoni will bring some potentially disruptive weather on Saturday as it moves from west to east. Northern Ireland is likely to see some of the highest rainfall totals, with 40-60mm falling in some spots, but 20-30mm more widely. Away from the warning area many will still see a very wet day, especially in north Wales and north England.

“Storm Antoni will also bring strong winds to a swathe of Wales, southwest England and southern coastal areas of England. The strongest winds will affect parts southwest England and southwest Wales where exposed coasts and high ground could see gusts in excess of 60mph. In these areas, gusts inland could reach 50-55mph for a time. These windy conditions will likely coincide with high tides which will present an additional challenge for coastal areas.

“Busy travel networks at this time of year and the possibility of people having made plans to be outside have resulted in the system meeting our criteria for naming, with a strong chance of disruption for those within the warning areas.”

Storm Antoni is the first storm named by the Met Office in this storm naming season, though the names Otto in February and Noa in April were adopted by the Met Office earlier this year as they were named by international partners and impacted the UK.

After a month of largely unsettled weather for the UK, there are some tentative signs of a change, albeit perhaps only briefly, in the dominant weather pattern for the UK later next week.

Steve Willington explained: “For the latter half of next week, there are some signals of a shift in the jet stream which may allow for high pressure to build in for southern areas of the UK, increasing the likelihood of some drier weather for a time. However, at this range, the details are quite uncertain and there’s still a chance of some rain for areas further north. As always, details will become clearer with a shorter lead time.”

(Lead image: Met Office)