UK weather latest: Areas across Britain face flooding and power cuts

Northern England, Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland and north Wales are among the regions affected

Travellers should expect rail, road and air journeys to take longer, the Met has warned ( TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Parts of the UK will be hit by 75 mph winds this week with forecasters warning Storm Aileen could cause travel delays, flooding and power cuts.

Areas in northern England, Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland and north Wales are among the regions affected.

But forecasters said the bad weather was not linked to hurricanes currently battering the Caribbean and North America.

Aileen is the first storm to be named this autumn.

The heavy rain it's bringing is likely to lead to flooding on roads and possible damage to properties, the Met Office's chief weather forecaster said.

Very strong winds could reach 75 mph in the most exposed locations, beginning on Tuesday night. In most areas wind speeds will be slightly lower, at between 55 mph and 65 mph.

Travellers should expect rail, road and air journeys to take longer, the Met warned.

In a statement, the Met Office's deputy meteorologist, Chris Tubbs, said “There are no links between the very strong winds we expect to see here in the UK and the hurricanes affecting the United States and the Caribbean at present.

"This system originated well north in the Atlantic Ocean, independent of the current Caribbean hurricanes."

On its website, the Met Office also responded to reports the UK could be hit by three hurricanes in the coming months.

"The UK does not get hurricanes – these are tropical features.

"They are larger rotating storm systems that develop over warm tropical water and are classified as hurricanes when sustained wind speed exceed 74 mph."