It’s a case out with the ice and in with the wind as the Met Office issue an amber warning for the arrival of Storm Isha over the weekend.
The amber warning – a significant alert – comes into play across Northern Ireland from 6pm on Sunday evening and will remain until 9am on Monday.
It means driving conditions of commuters early on Monday could be very hazardous, with debris expected. The strongest of those winds will be felt around 9pm on Sunday night in Co Armagh, with speeds in excess of 50mph.
Many places are likely to see gusts of 50-60mph, even inland. Near coasts there will be widespread gusts of 60-70mph, possibly reaching 80mph in a few places.
Chief Meteorologist, Dan Suri, said: “Storm Isha will bring strong winds to the whole of the UK through Sunday and into Monday. The areas of particular concern are reflected by a large amber severe weather warning which covers Northern Ireland.
“We could see gusts frequently between 50-60mph and even up to 80mph in exposed coastal locations. As the storm starts to move away on Monday morning very strong winds will also develop in the far southeast of England, bringing the risk of 70-80mph gusts here too in the early hours of Monday morning.
The winds will gradually ease through the day on Monday. Overnight into Tuesday will be a calmer interlude for most, with lighter winds and fewer showers in the north for a time. This does not last for long, however, as low pressure brings further wet and windy weather from the west on Tuesday morning, spreading eastwards across the UK though the day.
Further into next week there are signs that conditions will settle down in the south, with any wet and windy weather becoming more confined to the northwest of the UK. Temperatures are expected to remain mild for the time of year.
