Met Office urges Brits in 70 areas to gather essential items for Saturday – list

Met Office urges Brits in 70 areas to gather essential items for Saturday – list With Storm Austen currently bringing fierce winds and heavy rain to the UK, Met Office weather forecasters are urging people to gather essential items ahead of Storm Boelo's arrival The Met Office has urged millions of Brits to consider gathering essential items as three weather warnings are due for Storm Boelo. Storm Austen is currently battering the UK, with flood warnings in place in southern areas. Brighton's iconic West Pier has partially collapsed and wind speeds climbed over 100mph - but more weather chaos is to come this weekend. For Storm Boelo, the Met Office has issued amber and yellow wind warnings covering Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of England. The weather front will be "invigorated by an active jet stream" before reaching the UK, according to the Met Office, and could bring gusts of at least 80mph. This weekend's three warnings cover 70 areas in total, and all state that power cuts could hit the affected areas. The Met Office is urging people to prepare in advance by "gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items". Met Office amber warning for wind An amber warning for wind will be in place between 9pm on Saturday and 9pm on Sunday, covering 34 areas in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. The Met Office says the strongest Storm Boelo winds are expected from Saturday evening and will extend eastwards through Sunday. The forecaster said: "Very strong westerly winds associated with Storm Boelo are expected with fairly widespread gusts of 60 to 70mph and gusts to 80mph in exposed coastal areas." The winds will be accompanied by heavy rain, it adds. The winds will gradually ease from the west through Sunday. All three warnings state there is a risk of flying debris, power cuts and damage to buildings. Travel disruption is also expected, with the Met Office adding that "injuries and danger to life are likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties". The forecaster warns driving in these conditions can be dangerous and that motorists should drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts. The amber warning adds: "Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. "If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees. In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences." Areas covered by amber warning for wind - Angus - Clackmannanshire - Dundee - Falkirk - Fife - Perth and Kinross - Stirling - Aberdeen - Aberdeenshire - Moray - Na h-Eileanan Siar - Highland - Northumberland - Cumbria - County Antrim - County Londonderry - Argyll and Bute - East Ayrshire - East Dunbartonshire - East Renfrewshire - Glasgow - Inverclyde - North Ayrshire - North Lanarkshire - Renfrewshire - South Ayrshire - South Lanarkshire - West Dunbartonshire - Dumfries and Galloway - East Lothian - Edinburgh - Midlothian Council - Scottish Borders - West Lothian Met Office amber warning for wind in Northern Ireland A yellow wind warning is in place for Northern Ireland from 10am on Saturday to midday on Sunday. It again warns of the same dangers - power cuts, flying debris, difficult driving conditions - and states gusts could reach up to 75mph in exposed coastal regions. The warning states: "Strong winds will spread across Northern Ireland during Saturday. Initially strong southerly winds will develop on Saturday morning, before stronger westerly winds follow later in the day. "Very windy conditions will persist overnight and into Sunday before gradually easing from the southwest during Sunday morning. Gusts of 50-60mph are likely widely with some coastal and exposed areas potentially seeing gusts of 65-75mph. Strong winds will be combined with blustery heavy showers." Areas covered by yellow wind warning in Northern Ireland - County Antrim - County Armagh - County Down - County Fermanagh - County Londonderry - County Tyrone Met Office yellow warning for wind in England and Scotland Scotland, northern parts of northern England and the Midlands are all covered by another yellow weather warning for wind between midday on Saturday and 9pm on Sunday, again carrying the same risks of power cuts, flying debris, travel chaos, and danger to life from waves or beach material being thrown onto seafronts. The Met Office said: "Initially strong southerly winds will affect parts of Scotland before more widespread and even stronger westerly winds develop later on Saturday. "Very windy conditions will then persist overnight and through much of Sunday before gradually easing from the southwest later. Gusts of 55-65mph are likely widely with some coastal and exposed areas potentially seeing gusts of 70-80mph or more, these strongest gusts most likely across Scotland and the far north of England." Areas covered by yellow wind warning in England and Scotland - Angus - Clackmannanshire - Dundee - Falkirk - Fife - Perth and Kinross - Stirling - Derbyshire - Lincolnshire - Nottinghamshire - Aberdeen - Aberdeenshire - Moray - Na h-Eileanan Siar - Highland - Darlington - Durham - Gateshead - Hartlepool - Middlesbrough - Newcastle upon Tyne - North Tyneside - Northumberland - Redcar and Cleveland - South Tyneside - Stockton-on-Tees - Sunderland - Blackburn with Darwen - Blackpool - Cheshire East - Cheshire West and Chester - Cumbria - Greater Manchester - Halton - Lancashire - Merseyside - Warrington - Orkney Islands - Argyll and Bute - East Ayrshire - East Dunbartonshire - East Renfrewshire - Glasgow - Inverclyde - North Ayrshire - North Lanarkshire - Renfrewshire - South Ayrshire - South Lanarkshire - West Dunbartonshire - Dumfries and Galloway - East Lothian - Edinburgh - Midlothian Council - Scottish Borders - West Lothian - East Riding of Yorkshire - Kingston upon Hull - North East Lincolnshire - North Lincolnshire - North Yorkshire - South Yorkshire - West Yorkshire - York