Met Office names Storm Eowyn as 80mph gusts to batter UK in days

The Met Office has named the Storm Eowyn as the next to batter the UK. Very strong winds of up to 80mph are set to hit the country this weekend.

It comes as a yellow weather warning for wind has been issued by forecasters for seven regions. The strong winds will be brought to the UK by a 'deep area of low pressure' and will affect many areas, the Met Office said.

Buildings could be damaged, tiles may be blown from roofs and there could be power cuts. 'Injuries and danger to life' is also a risk.

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On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Met Office said: "#StormÉowyn has been named and is forecast to bring strong winds to much of the UK on Friday and into Saturday."

The yellow weather warning for wind will be in effect between midnight on Friday, January 24, and noon on Saturday, January 25. Areas in Scotland and Northern Ireland will be affected.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Almond, said: "A very deep area of low pressure will bring a very unsettled, potentially disruptive, spell of weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday. Winds will begin to strengthen on Thursday night with the peak gusts forecast through Friday in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.

"We have issued a Yellow weather warning for wind, and with several days before the impactful weather, the forecast details are likely to be fine-tuned during the week, so stay tuned to your local forecast and keep up to date with Met Office warnings."

Mr Almond added: "As the low develops over the Atlantic and interacts with the jet stream it will rapidly strengthen, a phenomenon called ‘explosive cyclogenesis’, where the central pressure of a low at latitudes in which the UK lies drops 24 millibars or more in 24 hours.

"This is forecast to happen on Thursday while the system is out over the Atlantic and it will be a mature feature by the time it reaches the UK."