First Named Storm Of Autumn Could Bring 70mph Winds To Sussex

Sussex could be affected by strong winds and heavy rain later this week, as forecasters warn the UK could see its first named storm of the autumn.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Friday, covering south-west Wales and south-west England, extending along the coast towards West Sussex.

Gusts of 50-60mph are possible across affected areas, with exposed locations potentially experiencing winds of up to 70mph.

The conditions could cause travel disruption, damage to buildings and a small risk of power cuts.

The unsettled weather is expected to develop as a deep area of low pressure moves across the UK from late Thursday.

Rain will affect much of the country throughout the week, with heavy downpours forecast across large parts of England and east Wales on Tuesday, spreading towards Scotland later in the day.

Further rain is expected on Wednesday.

The Met Office says the exact track of the low pressure system remains uncertain, meaning the areas experiencing the strongest winds could change.

Current forecasts suggest the centre of the system will pass across southern parts of the UK, with the greatest risk of disruptive winds in southern England and Wales. Some weather models suggest it could track further north, potentially bringing stronger winds to a wider area, including Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The system could become the first named storm of the season if forecasters expect it to cause significant impacts requiring an amber-level warning or higher.

If named by the UK Met Office or Ireland's Met Éireann, it would be called Storm Austen.

A more southerly track could instead lead the French weather service to name it Storm Bruna.

Forecasters say the outlook for next week remains uncertain, with the possibility of further unsettled conditions or a return to calmer weather.