The Met Office issues weather warnings, through the National Severe Weather Warning Service, when severe weather has the potential to bring impacts to the UK. These warnings are given a colour (yellow, amber or red) depending on a combination of both the impact the weather may have and the likelihood of those impacts occurring.

Yellow and Amber warnings represent a range of impact levels and likelihoods. This means it is important to read each warning to know what level of impact you can expect for your chosen warning area – and how likely those impacts are to occur.

These impacts can include damage to property, travel delays and cancellations, loss of water supplies, power cuts and, in the most severe cases, bring a danger to life.

Headline

Very strong winds associated with Storm Ciarán may disrupt travel, utilities, and cause some structural damage.

What to expect

· Flying debris could result in a danger to life

· Damage to buildings and homes is possible, with roofs blown off and power lines and trees brought down

· Roads, bridges and railway lines may close, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights

· Power cuts could occur and affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage

· There is potential for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

What should I do?

Further details

On Thursday morning very strong west to southwesterly winds will develop over parts of the far south and southeast of England where gusts are likely to reach 70-80 mph in some coastal areas and may exceed 85 mph in a few of the most exposed English Channel coastal spots. The extent of these high winds remains a little uncertain and is dependent on the exact track of Storm Ciarán. Winds will begin to ease from the west during the afternoon. Very large waves could bring additional impacts to coastal areas, especially along the English Channel coastline.

View full warning details and map view

Regions and local authorities affected

East of England: Essex, Southend-on-Sea, London & South East England, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Medway, Portsmouth, Southampton, West Sussex

South West England: Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Dorset