UK households are being urged to lock their doors and windows on Sunday as weather conditions are set to become increasingly windy.
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for wind for central, northern and western parts of the UK at the weekend, with gusts of up to 60mph expected.
The national forecaster says wind speeds could potentially reach as much as 70mph in exposed areas along Irish Sea coastlines, Scottish Islands and other areas of high ground further inland, which could result in power cuts in some areas.
A yellow warning for wind is in place from 6am until 6pm on Sunday and covers the following regions and local authorities:
Central, Tayside and Fife
East Midlands
Grampian
Highlands and Eilean Siar
North West England
Orkney and Shetland
Southwest Scotland, Lothian Borders
South West England
Strathclyde
Wales
West Midlands
Yorkshire and the Humber
A second yellow warning for wind is in place from 3am until 3pm on Sunday in Northern Ireland. The warnings for wind are also accompanied by several yellow alerts for rain on Sunday which cover much of the UK.
Met Office chief meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “As we shift from a cold easterly weather regime to milder westerly conditions, the Atlantic air brings with it some potentially impactful weather.
“Over the coming days, successive weather fronts bring strong winds and bands of rainfall across the UK with a risk some areas, particularly in the west later in the weekend, could see some low or even medium impacts.
“Weather warnings have been issued to highlight the potential for travel disruption, dangerous conditions near coasts and the possibility of power cuts for some.”
As the country braces for strong winds this weekend, gardening experts are urging people to lock their doors and windows on Sunday to protect their homes and gardens from powerful gusts.
Steven Walley, landscaper and gardening expert from London Stone, said: “Nature is extremely powerful and heavy wind and rain can cause severe damage to your garden through flying debris or flooding. To prevent as much harm as possible, it’s important to ensure we’re taking precautions to protect our homes in harsh weather conditions.
“Make sure all doors and windows are locked shut. If you know a storm or weather warning is set to take place in your region, start taking precaution.
“First, make sure that there are no obvious entry points by making sure all windows and doors are locked shut. This will help to prevent damage from heavy rain seeping in and will help to reduce pressure on windows from strong winds.”
Households are also advised to remove any loose items from gardens, such as outdoor lights, lanterns, hanging baskets and mirrors, as these could easily smash and break in blustery conditions.
Additionally, washing lines, gardening tools and outdoor furniture should be packed up and stored away to avoid them blowing over and causing damage in your garden or to the outside of your property.
