Weather warnings for wind have come into force across much of the UK as millions more people get away for Christmas. Roads and public transport could be disrupted by strong gusts as the Met Office forecast a wet and windy weekend for many.
The AA predicted 23.7 million drivers would hit the road on Friday, making it the busiest day on the roads since the group’s records began in 2010. It projected that Saturday would see 22.7 million drivers and Sunday 21.3 million.
Met Office yellow warnings were announced for parts of the UK with the RAC warning travelling could be a “pretty exhausting experience” due to the conditions. Yellow warnings for wind are in place from 7am on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday in the North West, the North East, Scotland and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.
Sunday’s warning also includes London, the South East, the South West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and all of Wales and Northern Ireland. Westerly winds are forecast to pick up over Saturday with 50-60mph gusts expected, with a small chance of some reaching 80mph.
The Met Office said: “The strongest winds are expected across the far north of Scotland on Saturday afternoon and evening, with the potential for gusts in excess of 80mph in coastal districts including Orkney.
“Dangerous coastal conditions can be expected too, with large waves an additional hazard, especially in respect to causeways. This period of strong winds may lead to some transport disruption, including ferry delays or cancellations.
“Frequent blustery showers will also be a feature on Saturday and may merge into a longer spell of rain for a time in the far north and north west.”
Showers could turn to several centimetres of snow on the hills in the north west of Scotland from Saturday evening into Sunday. Some sleet, snow and hail may fall at lower levels and produce icy conditions by Sunday morning. The strong winds will be more widespread on Sunday, meteorologists said.
The RAC estimated seven million leisure trips will be made on major roads during the weekend, which excludes everyday traffic. It predicted that congestion hotspots will be on both directions of the M1 to Gatwick via the M25 and the M23; Liverpool to Chester on the M53; Oxford to the south coast via the A34 and the M3; the M25 to the south coast along the M3; and at the Taunton to Almondsbury Interchange in Bristol heading down the M5.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With the weekend bringing a mix of strong winds along with heavy, and in some places wintry, showers, it’s going to make many of the estimated seven million getaway trips by car a pretty exhausting experience.”
Douglas Cairns, from Transport Scotland, said road, rail, air and ferry services are “all likely to be affected by the conditions” with possible longer journey times, cancellations and restrictions on bridges. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company said its 7.45pm Saturday ferry service from Douglas, Isle of Man to Heysham, Lancashire was cancelled due to the “forecast adverse weather ”, along with its 2.15am Sunday service from Heysham to Douglas.
CalMac, which operates ferries to the west coast of Scotland, said possible disruptions and cancellations could affect each of its planned services for Saturday. Winds will ease by Monday, but cloud and rain are expected to move in with increased temperatures.
As a result, “crisp blue skies and snow on the ground” are “decidedly unlikely” over Christmas, the Met Office said. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “We’ll start to see high pressure to the south of the UK bringing in more settled and much milder conditions from Christmas Eve.
“Christmas Day itself will be cloudy for most, although some eastern areas of the UK, most likely eastern Scotland, may see some clear or sunny spells. We could see some drizzle across hills in the west, and some more persistent rain is possible for north-west Scotland, but overall it will be a fairly cloudy, nondescript day.
“Conditions on Christmas Day and Boxing Day look to be exceptionally mild for the time of year, especially in the north. East and north-east Scotland, for example, could see overnight temperatures that are 10C above average on Christmas morning.”