Britain braces for worst storm in years from France24
Large waves break against barriers on the seafront in Brighton, southern England on October 27, 2013 as a predicted storm starts to build
A man walks his dog along a sea wall in Lyme Regis in Dorset, southwest England on October 27, 2013 as strong winds blow spray over the sea wall
AFP - Britain was braced on Sunday for its worst storm in a decade, with heavy rain and winds of more than 80 miles (130 kilometres) an hour set to batter the south of the country.
The Met Office national weather centre warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport when the storm hits overnight to Monday.
Between 20 to 40 millimetres (0.8 to 1.6 inches) of rain is predicted to fall within six to nine hours starting on Sunday evening, likely leading to localised flooding, the Met Office said.
It will be followed by widespread gusts of between 60 and 80 miles an hour across southern England and south Wales on Monday, with winds reaching more than 80 miles an hour in some areas.
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Helen Chivers, a MET office guru noted....
"It's obviously coming in the autumn and the impact could be high because the leaves are still on the trees and the ground has more water in it", meaning a higher likelihood of flooding and of trees coming down.
Comparisons have been made with the "Great Storm" in October 1987, which left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France.
It felled 15 million trees .....
This year's storm has been named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday.
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The Met Office national weather centre warned of falling trees, damage to buildings and disruption to power supplies and transport when the storm hits overnight to Monday.
Between 20 to 40 millimetres (0.8 to 1.6 inches) of rain is predicted to fall within six to nine hours starting on Sunday evening, likely leading to localised flooding, the Met Office said.
It will be followed by widespread gusts of between 60 and 80 miles an hour across southern England and south Wales on Monday, with winds reaching more than 80 miles an hour in some areas.
......
Helen Chivers, a MET office guru noted....
"It's obviously coming in the autumn and the impact could be high because the leaves are still on the trees and the ground has more water in it", meaning a higher likelihood of flooding and of trees coming down.
Comparisons have been made with the "Great Storm" in October 1987, which left 18 people dead in Britain and four in France.
It felled 15 million trees .....
This year's storm has been named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is on Monday.
.....