The Met Office issued a second Red Weather warning at 4.00am this morning - Storm Eunice is expected to bring extremely strong winds and continued disruption for much of the UK total.

Tomasz Schafernaker BBC Meteorologist tracking storm Eunice progress at 09.01 am

The Red Weather warning for wind covers south Wales and the northern coast of south-west England from 7 am this morning, before a separate Red Weather warning for wind comes into force for London, the South East and parts of east England from 10 am, southeast with similar damaging gusts and disruption expected.

Wind gusts in the most exposed coastal areas could be in excess of 90mph, which would bring “significant impacts for many and represent a danger to life”, the weather forecaster said.

Further inland and within the wider Amber Warning area, gusts will still be impactful and damaging for many, with 60-70mph gusts likely for many, and 80mph in a few places.

Red Weather Warnings are rarely issued by the Met Office, with the last one coinciding with Storm Arwen in November 2021. Prior to that the last Red Warning for wind was March 2018

The wider Amber Warning area highlights the ongoing risk of high impacts such as disruption to power, travel and other services. Damage is also likely for buildings and trees, with beach material being thrown onto seafronts.

The warnings reflect the expected track of Storm Eunice eastwards across the central portion of the UK, with the strongest winds expected to the south of Eunice.

The Environment Agency currently has 10 severe flood warnings in place for England, where there is a danger to life, 33 flood warnings where flooding is expected and 103 flood alerts where flooding is possible.