Towns and cities across 109 areas of England and Wales could face power cuts due to a 22-hour storm.
Households are being told that ‘strong and gusty winds’ are likely to cause disruption on Sunday evening lasting until Monday evening in a 22 hour block of weather chaos.
The Met Office has issued a 22-hour yellow weather warning for wind and rain from 8pm on Sunday, August 14 through to Monday at 6pm. The forecaster says delays are likely on roads and rail, and some ‘short term loss of power and other services’ is possible due to strong winds of up to 55pm with gusts of 70mph possible along coasts and hills.
The Met Office is warning of potential disruption to power supplies due to the storm, with households in affected areas being urged to prepare.
Among the host of major English cities to fall under a yellow wind warning are London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Liverpool, Chester, Stoke, Portsmouth, Oxford, Lincoln, Derby, Leicester, Norwich, York, Cambridge, Oxford, Norwhich and Hull as well as others like Milton Keynes, Bradford, Bath and Brighton.
All of Wales is also affected including Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, St Asaph and Bangor.
The Met Office forecast says: “Strong west or southwesterly winds will arrive across coastal areas of southwest England and Wales during Sunday evening, then develop more widely inland during Monday morning. Gusts of 45-55 mph are expected widely inland, with gusts of 60-70 mph possible at times along exposed coasts and hills. Winds will only slowly ease from the west later in the afternoon and into Monday evening.
Those bracing for power cuts have been told to buy torches and candles, as well as batteries, and to charge their phones as well as any phone charging power banks, to ensure you’re well prepared.
The Met Office warned those in the affected areas: “People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
“If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea. Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
The full list UK areas affected by the Met Office weather warning:
Derby
Derbyshire
Leicester
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Northamptonshire
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
Rutland
Bedford
Cambridgeshire
Central Bedfordshire
Essex
Hertfordshire
Luton
Norfolk
Peterborough
Southend-on-Sea
Suffolk
Thurrock
Bracknell Forest
Brighton and Hove
Buckinghamshire
East Sussex
Greater London
Hampshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Medway
Milton Keynes
Oxfordshire
Portsmouth
Reading
Slough
Southampton
Surrey
West Berkshire
West Sussex
Windsor and Maidenhead
Wokingham
Darlington
Durham
Hartlepool
Middlesbrough
Redcar and Cleveland
Stockton-on-Tees
Blackburn with Darwen
Blackpool
Cheshire East
Cheshire West and Chester
Cumbria
Greater Manchester
Halton
Lancashire
Merseyside
Warrington
Bath and North East Somerset
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
Bristol
Cornwall
Devon
Dorset
Gloucestershire
Isles of Scilly
North Somerset
Plymouth
Somerset
South Gloucestershire
Swindon
Torbay
Wiltshire
Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend
Caerphilly
Cardiff
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion
Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Isle of Anglesey
Merthyr Tydfil
Monmouthshire
Neath Port Talbot
Newport
Pembrokeshire
Powys
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Swansea
Torfaen
Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham
Herefordshire
Shropshire
Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent
Telford and Wrekin
Warwickshire
West Midlands Conurbation
Worcestershire
East Riding of Yorkshire
Kingston upon Hull
North East Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire
North Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
York