Storm Brian 'weather bomb' will hit Britain this weekend with heavy rain and strong winds

'Some coastal flooding is possible along the south and south-west coasts of England, especially around the times of high tide'

A "weather bomb" detonating over the Atlantic will lead to winds of up to 70mph lashing parts of country over the weekend.

Forecasters have issued a “Yellow” wind warning for Saturday, which means high wind speeds could lead to transport disruption, damage to trees and short term loss of power, parts of southern England and Wales.

Much of Ireland is also like to by hit with winds of up to 50mph, rising to 70mph in coastal areas.

A "weather bomb" is a term for a low pressure weather system which sees pressure drop rapidly across a 24 hour period.

Meteorologists call the process “explosive cyclogenesis”, which ultimately leads to violent winds developing."

Storm Brian will be the second named storm of the season, following Aileen, which hit the UK in September.

Alison Baptiste, national flood duty manager for the Environment Agency, said: “Strong winds are expected across southern England on Friday night and into Saturday."

She added: "Some coastal flooding is possible along the south and south-west coasts of England, especially around the times of high tide, with large waves, spray and some overtopping of coastal defences."

RAC spokesman Pete Williams said: “Drivers encountering high winds are advised to reduce their speed, ensure they hold the steering wheel firmly and be prepared for sudden gusts, debris and even fallen branches in the road.

“Be extra cautious when driving on exposed roads, high ground and across bridges where again sudden gusts can blow you off course."

This latest storm comes a matter of days after Hurricane Ophelia battered Ireland, killing three people and leaving thousands without power.

Met Éireann - the Irish equivalent of the Met Office - have issued an orange weather warning for southwestern coastal counties on Saturday, the second highest level.

However, a spokesperson for Met Éireann's told broadcaster RTE, that the weather system forecast for this weekend would be weaker than that experienced during Storm Ophelia and most parts of the country would not experience very strong winds