UK weather latest: Storm Gareth forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain

Severe gales set to hit coastal areas

Storm Gareth is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK throughout the week, the Met Office has warned.

A mostly bright day was forecast on Monday, with occasional wintry showers in the north and west which were predicted to ease later in the day.

However, severe gales were set to hit western coastal areas in the evening.

A band of heavy rain in the west was set to move across the rest of the UK overnight.

It comes after gales and snow caused battered parts of Britain over the weekend, as winds of up to 65mph swept through southern parts of England.

The Met Office has issued two further warnings for wind.

The first covers much of Northern Ireland and begins at 3pm on Tuesday and will last until midnight.

The second covers much of England and Northern Ireland and will be in place from around midnight on Wednesday until 3pm.

During those yellow warning periods, there could be gusts of 60-70mph across Northern Ireland, while England could see winds of between 50-55mph and 60-65mph in coastal areas.

Wet and windy weather is forecast for the rest of the week.

Storm Gareth was named by the Irish Meteorological Service.

It follows Storm Freya, which battered Britain earlier this month.