Urgent Met Office weather warning as Storm Otto set to lash UK with 75mph winds

The Met Office has issued an urgent weather warning as Storm Otto is set to lash the UK with winds in excess of 75mph.

The storm is forecast to hit in the early hours of Friday morning, bringing strong winds to some parts of the country as two yellow weather warnings were put in place.

Brits have enjoyed an unseasonably warm stretch this week with temperatures pushing 16C but now are braced for rain and wind.

Storm Otto is racing towards the UK today from across the Atlantic before it hits tonight, as it marks the first named storm of the season.

Two wind weather warnings are in place for Scotland and parts of the north east of England for Friday.

They warn of very strong winds from 5am to the early afternoon in England which could affect travel and transport, and even leave some areas without power.

In Scotland the storm is set to touchdown a few hours earlier and stay longer, with the warning in place from 3am to 3pm.

The storm was named by the Danish Meteorological Institute and Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page said: “Storm Otto will bring high winds and rain to the UK, with some northern parts of Scotland and the northeast of England likely to get the strongest gusts of wind, possibly in excess of 75mph.

“Warnings have been issued and could be updated as Storm Otto develops. There’s a chance of travel disruption and high-sided vehicles could be particularly prone to disrupted plans in this set-up.

“There’s associated rain with Storm Otto, with 40-50 mm of rain likely to fall over parts of western Scotland.”

Alongside this, coastal areas particularly have been put on notice and warned of the likelihood of large waves, especially across the North Sea coasts.

This could get so bad it could lead to damage on some buildings and infrastructure.

The yellow weather warnings cover almost all of Scotland, apart from some parts of the south west like Carlisle and Dumfries.

Western Scotland will feel the brunt of the storm in the early hours of the morning before it passes it across the country during the day.

By midday the storm should have mostly passed over land but there still might be some strong winds and rain.

In England, the weather warning covers from the border, down the north east coast, across Newcastle upon Tyne, stretching as far as Sheffield.