London weather: Commuters to be battered with torrential rain and gusty winds as severe warning issued

The stormy weather could cause rush hour travel disruption, forecasters warned
Torrential: Lashing downpours and gusts of up to 50mph are set to hit on Friday.
Anthony Devlin/PA Wire
Francesca Gillett2 February 2017

London commuters are set to be battered with torrential rain and strong, gusty winds during Friday rush hour as forecasters issue a severe weather alert.

The Met Office stepped up their severe weather warning to include London after stormy weather and gusts of up to 50mph were forecast to hammer the capital.

Forecasters told the Standard that Friday evening “could be quite tricky for commuters” with the risk of travel chaos caused by heavy downpours and strong winds.

Elsewhere in the south east wind speeds could top 70mph while coastal areas could be hit with 80mph gales.

Met Office forecaster Mark Wilson told the Standard: “Basically the risk of the strongest winds is tomorrow.

Downpours: The rain is expected to hit the capital on Friday afternoon. 
Jack Taylor/Getty Images

“After a dry night in the south east and London tonight it looks like it’s going downhill.

“A band of heavy rain from the south will move across London, but it’s more the strength of the wind we’re keeping an eye on during the middle to the latter part of the afternoon.

“For tomorrow’s rush hour it could be very windy indeed.”

The stormy weather could bring with the risk of “travel disruption” across the capital, he added.

While gusts of 50mph are not exceptional wind speeds for Britain, in London – which usually escapes the roughest winds – it is strong.

The yellow weather warning for London is in place from 11am on Friday to 3am on Saturday.

Fog in London: 23 January 2017

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It was originally issued for western England and the south east before meteorologists extended it to cover London.

After the lashing downpours on Saturday, the Met Office said the weather is likely to improve. Temperatures for the weekend are expected to be around 7C.

The stormy weather follows weeks of freezing temperatures and heavy fog which grounded hundreds of flights from London’s airports.

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