Storm Gertrude: Met Office issues amber warning as gusts of 80mph and heavy rain head for UK

'We warn the public and emergency responders of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause danger to life'

Storm Gertrude is set to batter the UK on Friday, bringing wind gusts of up to 80mph and drenching some areas with heavy rain.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for wind in Northern Ireland and most of Scotland. “We warn the public and emergency responders of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause danger to life,” the website reads.

A yellow warning for snow, ice and rain has also been issued for the majority of Scotland and parts of northern England.

Met Office spokesperson Lindsay Mears told The Independent: “Storm Gertrude is expected to come in [on Thursday night]. Its impact will be [felt] in the early hours of Friday morning, mostly in Northern Ireland, Scotland, north-west England and north-east England."

Gusts between 60mph and 80mph, especially near costal areas, and heavy rain threaten to lash these areas between 3am and 10am on Friday.

Western Scotland and north of central Scotland could receive between 40mm and 60mm of rain.

Ms Mears said “public safety issues” were associated with amber warnings, such as structural damage and disruption to power supplies.

Storm Gertrude, the result of an Atlantic low moving across the UK, will then travel down the country bringing heavy winds of up to 70mph for the Midlands and rain for south-west England up until around 6pm on Friday.

But temperatures will be mild.

Ms Mears said: “Wetter, windier weather is associated with milder temperatures. So it will be 8°C or 9°C in Scotland and around 11°C in the north of England.”

“Saturday will be a continuation of the wind, with gales in central and north-eastern areas of the UK.”

Ms Mears said the weather would be quite unsettled, with heavy rain expected in the west.

Temperatures in Scotland will take a dip on Sunday.

“It will be quite cold, with more gales. There could be some snow in northern areas,” said Ms Mears. “We’re looking at 5°C or 6°C in Scotland and the north of England.”

In the south of England, temperatures will hover between 10°C and 11°C, hitting around 13°C in London.