UK weather forecast: Heavy rain and powerful 70mph winds as Met Office issues severe warnings

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Heavy rain and powerful winds of up to 70mph are set to batter the UK, with forecasters issuing weather warnings across England and Wales.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind covering the entirety of the two countries, with wind speeds expected to reach up to 70mph in coastal areas and high ground.

The alerts came into force at 9pm on Wednesday evening and is set to last until 3pm on Thursday.

The RNLI urged people to exercise caution if visiting exposed cliffs, seafronts or piers due to the “severe safety risk” caused by the wind, which is expected to be accompanied by heavy showers.

The charity’s head of water safety Gareth Morrison said earlier this week: “In a normal year around 150 people lose their lives at the coast and we know that more than half of those never intended to be in the water.

“So, whether you are walking, running or cycling at the coast, please be extra responsible and avoid taking unnecessary risks or entering the water.”

But the unsettled weather is expected to ease over the course of the weekend, with no weather warnings in place for the weekend.

Meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: “The weekend is set to have an unsettled start but nothing usual for the time of year.”

He added: “We could see some strong winds during the early hours of Saturday morning and lots of heavy showers around particularly in the west.

“But as we go head into Sunday they should become less frequent and not quite as heavy, so it is an unsettled start but as the weekend goes on the winds will start to ease a little bit.”

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