UK weather latest: Storm Gareth to bring travel chaos and pose danger to life in Northern Ireland

Met Office issues three separate weather warnings ahead of storm's arrival on Tuesday

Storms will bring travel chaos and endanger lives within 24 hours, the Met Office has warned.

The forecaster said Storm Gareth would leave destruction in its wake when it arrives on Tuesday, causing damage to buildings, flying debris, large waves and power cuts.

Coastal routes and seafront communities will be the worst affected as the storm batters much of the UK, experts predict.

Three separate weather warnings have been issued for Tuesday as the country braces itself for winds of up to 80mph.

The Met Office tweeted: “Heavy #rain through Tuesday morning could lead to travel disruption and localised flooding, especially for parts of northern England.”

There could be up to 60mm of rainfall over higher ground in Cumbria.

Flood alerts have also been issued across the country, including for Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Somerset.

Four roads were closed in the High Peak in Derbyshire following two inches of snow and extreme hail “half an inch in size” that blanketed the Peak District and Pennines.

The country council worked overnight to reopen the A6024 Holme Moss, AA537 / A54 Cat and Fiddle, A53 Axe Edge and A57 Snake Pass.

Images posted to social media showed crashes on the Snake Pass and winds gusting at around 55mph up in the hills.

Motorists were advised to take extra care when travelling because of hazardous conditions.

“Very large hailstones at the moment near Oldham. Some half an inch in size,” one person said in a video posted online.

Becky Mitchell, a meteorologist with the Met Office, said hail could return by Tuesday or Wednesday.

She told the Independent: “There could be some more sleet and snow over the Pennines but it will be localised and not enough for a weather warning.”

The wild weather is expected to make a return after a few hours, with weather warnings for England and Northern Ireland on Wednesday.

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