(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Met Office names Storm Henk as 'severe' weather warning issued for parts of UK TODAY
Some areas will be hit by gusts of to 80mph
by Ashlie Blakey · Manchester Evening NewsA 'severe' wind weather warning has been issued ahead of Storm Henk hitting the UK today.
The storm was officially named by the Met Office this morning as the amber warning was issued for parts of southwest England and south Wales. Forecasters predict gusts of up to 80mph in these areas as low pressure sweeps over.
The warning comes into force at 10am and will last until 8pm tonight, with travel disruption and damage to buildings predicted in the areas affected. Storm Henk is also set to bring heavy rain to the UK, including to Greater Manchester, with a yellow rain warning in place until 9pm.
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The warning covers much of our region as well as a large part of England and Wales. Forecasters predict that heavy rain will cause travel disruption with 'flooding of a few homes and businesses possible'.
In Manchester, after heavy rainfall overnight, more showers are forecast later this morning. An urgent 'act now' flood warning is in place with three other flood warnings also issued.
The 'urgent' warning covers the River Irwell at Prestolee and Ringley Bridges in Kearsley. According to the Environment Agency, areas at risk include Riverside Drive, Hamble Croft, Langcliffe Place, Ribblehead Court and Stoneclough Rise.
Alerts are also in place for the Upper River Irwell catchment with Oldham, Bolton, Rochdale, Haslingden, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall, the Lower River Irwell catchment also including the areas around the Rivers Irk and Medlock, Wince and Worsley Brooks and their tributaries, the Middle River Mersey catchment including areas near Bramhall, Stockport, Sale, Altrincham and Urmston and the River Bollin catchment, including Knutsford, Wilmslow, Macclesfield and Bollington.
Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: "Further wet and windy weather is forecast for the UK this week. Our latest analysis of the forecast shows an increase in the likelihood of very strong wind gusts across parts of southern Wales and England which is why we have issued this Amber warning this morning and named Storm Henk.
"Storm Henk will initially bring very strong winds to the southwest of England and Southern Wales, with gusts of up to 80mph possible. As Storm Henk moves north-eastwards across the south of the UK through Tuesday the strongest winds will also move eastwards, across the south Midlands, Home Counties and East Anglia through the afternoon and evening."
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