Hurricane Lorenzo forecast: UK faces torrential rain and freezing temperatures

Travel disruption and power cuts possible, Met Office warns

Freezing temperatures, heavy rain and 60mph winds are set to hit the UK as the remnants of Hurricane Lorenzo pass over the country, forecasters have warned.

This is likely to cause travel disruption and power outages on Thursday and Friday, with possible delays on the roads and to trains, flights and ferries, the Met Office said.

Lorenzo, which knocked down trees and power lines as it passed Portugal’s Azores islands, is the most powerful storm ever recorded in the far-east Atlantic.

Meteorologists have warned of wet and windy conditions as Lorenzo continues to barrel towards the UK, although it will have lost it its hurricane status when it arrives.

Temperatures are due to drop to freezing in some parts of England overnight due to the arrival of “cool air” from the north, said Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey.

“Overnight on Wednesday, because we will have had this long clear spell, we might see some rural frost and temperatures drop to freezing in central and eastern areas,” she said. “However, this will be localised, it is not widespread.”

Thursday is forecast to get off to a “bright start” for much of the UK, but cloud will begin to build up from the west as the storm arrives, she added.

A yellow weather warning is in place from 3pm to 10pm on Thursday for Northern Ireland’s coastline, with wind speeds expected to reach 60mph.

The storm is due to hit Wales on Friday morning, Ms Maxey said, bringing further strong winds and heavy rain.

“As it moves across the Atlantic it is weakening, and as it moves across England it will weaken,” she added. “That cloud and rain will push into the east, and then we will see brighter conditions begin.”

Temperatures are forecast to reach 15C on Thursday and up to 18C on Friday, while Saturday is likely to be brighter with some scattered showers.

Additional reporting by agencies