Met Office issues weather warning for Northumberland as Storm Agnes approaches

A yellow weather warning for strong and disruptive winds in Northumberland has been issued by the Met Office through Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday.

Whilst there is still some uncertainty in the exact track and depth of Agnes, gusts of 45-55mph are expected widely inland and 50-60mph over hills and around coasts.

The strongest winds are expected to affect Northern Ireland, southwest Scotland, west and northwest Wales, Cumbria and Lancashire where some places inland may see gusts of 60mph and 65-75mph over hills and around coasts.

National Highways is encouraging motorists to be prepared and plan ahead for their journeys.

Steve Basterfield, national network manager at National Highways, said: “With the stormy weather being forecast, it is important to plan ahead for your journey, and if weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour and take extra care.

“We have a section of our website dedicated to travelling amid storms, high winds and gales, and considerations for different types of vehicle, as part of our guide to travelling in severe weather. It’s also a good idea for people to check their vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, before heading out to reduce the risk of breakdowns.”

Jon Bird, property claims manager at NFU Mutual, is urging all home and business owners to act now to try and mitigate damage and disruption.

He said: “With the storm season starting and more storms likely to hit between now and the end of winter, this is the perfect time to fortify your property or business against storms and minimise any disruption in the next few months.

“NFU Mutual has responded to this first storm of the season by placing its network of Agency offices across the UK on alert and preparing call handlers and loss adjusters for an increase in claims.

“While we stand ready to assist customers who suffer damage in Storm Agnes, we also urge home and business owners to check now whether their property is storm resilient.

“As the leading rural insurer, we know that isolated properties, along with those on the coast, are most at risk from windstorms like Storm Agnes. Owners of such properties should pay particular attention to storm resilience measures.”