Brace for Storm Evert! Met Office names the first storm of summer as it issues warning for 75mph gales set to batter the south coast TONIGHT
The Met Office has named its first storm of the summer and issued a warning for gales of up to 75mph set to batter the south coast tonight.
Storm Evert is set to bring 'unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain to southern parts of the UK later today and into Friday', the Met Office said.
An amber warning for wind has also been issued for some of the south-west from 9pm tonight until 7am tomorrow, with gusts of up to 75mph forecast across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The blustery conditions are predicted to cause damage to buildings and fallen trees, with 'danger to life likely' due to large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads.
Travel disruption is also expected, with a spokesman for the RAC telling MailOnline that the combination of holiday traffic and strong winds will 'make driving conditions hazardous', particularly for those with caravans.
The last named storm was Darcy, which battered the UK over five months ago towards the start of February.
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Storm Evert is set to bring 'unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain to southern parts of the UK later today and into Friday', the Met Office said (pictured: rain showers in central London on Wednesday)
The blustery conditions are predicted to cause damage to buildings and fallen trees, with 'danger to life likely' due to large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads
An amber warning for wind has been issued for some of the south-west from 9pm tonight until 7am tomorrow, with gusts of up to 75mph forecast across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
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The weather service said: 'Storm Evert has been named and is forecast to bring unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain to southern parts of the UK later today and into Friday.'
Speaking this morning, Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: 'For the next 24 hours or so, expect more impacts from some heavy rain with the risk of thunder, and then all eyes on the West Country as an area of low pressure comes in with some wet and windy conditions.'
Going into this evening, she said: 'The cloud will thicken across the West Country and winds will pick up some strength with some outbreaks of rain. Just clipping Cornwall as we go into the middle part of the afternoon.
'Temperatures typically in any sunshine feeling quite warm, 70F (21C) to 73F (23C).'
But going into Friday morning, she added: 'Watch as that area of low pressure tracks across southern counties. A wind warning in force here for gale force winds and also some choppy seas.
'It will clear off the scene quite quickly and through the weekend the wind changes direction. We see our feeds coming in from the north, so temperatures will struggle a little bit.'
Thousands of drivers across the country will be setting off for staycations across the UK ahead of this weekend, after children broke up for their six-week school summer holiday on Monday.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'The arrival of a summer storm to the South West could take drivers – and indeed all holidaymakers in the region – by surprise.
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Thousands of drivers across the country will be setting off for staycations across the UK ahead of this weekend, after children broke up for their six-week school summer holiday on Monday (pictured: the A12 eastbound in Essex yesterday afternoon)
The last named storm was Darcy, which battered the UK over five months ago towards the start of February. Pictured: hail stones that fell in Northampton on Wednesday
Scientists fear the rate of global warming is spiralling out of control, saying that 'climate change is happening and it's happening now' (hail stones in Northampton earlier this week, pictured above)
The Met Office said: 'Storm Evert has been named and is forecast to bring unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain to southern parts of the UK later today and into Friday'
'The sheer strength of the wind coupled with huge volumes of traffic will make driving conditions hazardous, particularly for those towing caravans and trailers.
'We strongly recommend drivers check over their vehicles before setting out – ensuring roofboxes are firmly secured – and try to avoid exposed coastal and moorland routes where the impacts of the wind on driving will be the greatest.
'Drivers should reduce their speeds accordingly to help ensure they complete their journeys safely.'
The first named storm of the summer follows two hikers being rushed to hospital after being struck by lightning on the summit of Snowdon in Wales when freak-weather hit the region yesterday afternoon.
Rescuers said one of the women was bleeding and 'falling in and out of consciousness' when they arrived on the 3,560ft-peak at 1.47pm.
North Wales Police were called and volunteer crews from Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team were sent along with the Coast Guard rescue helicopter.
Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: 'For the next 24 hours or so, expect more impacts from some heavy rain with the risk of thunder, and then all eyes on the West Country' (pictured: a person walking through a downpour in Euston yesterday)
Rain showers in central London pictured on Wednesday. Meanwhile, forecasters have warned that scorching summers of 104F (40C) will become the UK's new 'normal' by the end of the century
Going into this evening, forecaster Ms Nasir said: 'The cloud will thicken across the West Country and winds will pick up some strength with some outbreaks of rain. Just clipping Cornwall as we go into the middle part of the afternoon'
The meteorologist added: 'It will clear off the scene quite quickly and through the weekend the wind changes direction. We see our feeds coming in from the north, so temperatures will struggle a little bit' (pictured: showers in London yesterday)
One of the walkers sustained minor injuries during the incident while the other sustained serious injuries.
Meanwhile, forecasters have warned that scorching summers of 104F (40C) will become the UK's new 'normal' by the end of the century.
The alarming prediction came as experts warned that temperature and rainfall records are being smashed at a 'shocking' rate in Britain.
Scientists fear the rate of global warming is spiralling out of control, saying that 'climate change is happening and it's happening now'.
The hottest temperature recorded in the UK stands at 101.6F (38.7C) in Cambridge in 2019.
But the jump to 104F (40C) could come within the decade and become a regular occurrence every three to four years by the end of the century.
Data from the annual State Of The UK Climate report showed that last year was the third warmest, fifth wettest and eighth sunniest year on record – the first ever to fall into the top ten in all three categories.