UK weather: Heavy rain and gale force winds set to batter country in weekend washout

Southern parts of country expected to be hit by worst of weather, with warning covering southwest England and southern Wales possible on Sunday afternoon

Heavy rain and strong winds are set to batter the UK throughout the weekend (PA)

Heavy rain and gale force winds are set to batter the UK over the coming days, with forecasters warning of possible disruption.

Southern parts of the country are expected to be hit by the worst of the weather with a warning covering southwest England and southern Wales possible on Sunday afternoon, according to the Met Office.

It comes after 179.3mm of rain fell across the UK in the month of October — 142 per cent of the average with 163 per of the normal amount falling in the south.  

October also saw the UK’s wettest day since records began after February was declared the wettest month on record.

Friday is expected to be a brighter day, although there will be some wet and windy weather as a band of rain moves eastwards across the country — before the weather worsens.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Pedagna said: “The worst weather of the day will be in the north west where there will be a scattering of showers and gusts of up 40 to 50mph.

“It will be mild across England and Wales, with temperatures climbing to 12 to 14C in the south and 9 to 10C in the north.

“We will see drier weather overnight but in the early hours further wet and windy weather will arrive.”

Mr Pedagna said there will be unsettled weather across the UK from Saturday.

He said: “The weekend will be unsettled everywhere. On Saturday there will be outbreaks of rain and possibly gales, with particularly windy weather around the coast in the south and particularly heavy rain in southern Wales and the south west.  

“On Sunday there will also be unsettled weather with low pressure still dominating across the UK, again with the worst of it in the south and west.

“There will be a weather system coming in from the west across southern England and Wales in the afternoon, and there could be a warning issued for wind in particular with more gales expected.

“There is a bit of an improved picture on Monday but the weather will still be unsettled. It could be very mild early next week because of air being drawn up from the south.”

On Saturday temperatures are expected to peak at about 10 to 15C from north to south, with the mercury hitting 10 to 14C north to south on Sunday.