Strong winds and rain set to batter parts of the UK

Exposed north-western island and coastal areas could see gusts in excess of 55mph.

A woman struggles with an umbrella as she walks over Westminster Bridge during high winds and wet weather (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Britain is to be battered by strong winds and rain as the remnants of a tropical storm move in.

Gusts of up to 55mph are expected in some parts of the country later in the week as the outlook becomes more unsettled.

From Tuesday evening onwards, showers will reach south-western parts of the UK, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland and continue into Wednesday morning, before moving east across the UK, bringing the potential for thundery downpours across northern areas.

Heavy rain (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Adam Thornhill said: “The low pressure on Wednesday will bring showers to most areas of the UK, but the heaviest, slow-moving downpours are expected in northern areas, including Northern Ireland, with a chance of associated thunder and lightning.

“Although rainfall amounts are still open to some uncertainty, there’s a chance some areas in the north could see in excess of 20mm of rain within a three-hour period.

“This will largely break up later in the day on Wednesday, leaving behind just a few showers by the late evening.”

On Thursday and Friday, the remnants of a storm which has plagued southern Florida – Ex-Tropical Storm Alex – is forecast to bring strong wind and rain to the north-west of the UK from the Atlantic.

Storm Alex caused disruption across Florida, producing heavy rainfall over the weekend in several regions, including Miami, which reportedly experienced 5.24 inches of rain.

A wave crashes over Newhaven lighthouse at West Quay in East Sussex (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Thornhill added: “The track of the former storm currently looks to be grazing the far north-west of the UK on Thursday and Friday and, although the details are still being worked out, winds could be around 45mph for most in the north of the UK, with a chance of some gusts in excess of 55mph in some exposed north-western island and coastal areas.”

The weekend looks to be a more mixed affair, with sunshine and showers in equal measures across the UK.

Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said: “The best of any sunshine will be in the south of the UK.

“The strongest winds will be in the far north of the UK, but will not be as strong as winds on Thursday and Friday.”