Met Office issues severe wind warning for Sheffield as 70MPH gusts batter UK

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for very strong winds on the East Coast, and South West of the country today.

The warning has now been updated for Sheffield and lasts from 5am on Tuesday until 5pm.

Wind speeds of 78mph were recorded at Sherkin Island and Roches Point on the south coast of Ireland on Sunday, while the Isles of Scilly saw gusts of 71mph.

On the UK mainland the wind hit 70mph at Culdrose in Cornwall in the hour leading up to 9pm.

Western Power Distribution said it had experienced 26 high voltage faults in the south west on Sunday and two in Wales, leading to 5,500 customers being cut off from power over the course of the day.

As of 11.15pm, 491 customers were cut off in the south west due to 10 high voltage incidents.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said on Sunday night: "The winds across particularly the south west will strengthen further so we will be seeing some gusts in excess of 75mph overnight.

"Widely across the UK I'm seeing gusts, pretty much from top to tail, of 30 to 40mph.

"The strong winds are pretty widespread. It's very windy in the west and south west so that's where we're going to see the greatest impact unfortunately."

Sea fronts in coastal communities could be affected by spray and large waves, the Met Office said.

It warned that some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport were likely as well as the short term loss of power being possible.

The high winds should ease through the day, with all parts seeing largely unbroken sunshine developing.

The maximum temperature is set to reach 7 °C, although in the breeze it will feel like 3°C.

Tonight will be chilly with a frost developing.

Cloud will thicken after midnight, with heavy rain moving into the Peak District by dawn.

The minimum temperature is predicted to plummet to -1 °C.

Tomorrow, we’re in for more high wind and heavy rain, which will be ‘persistent’ across the hills.