Met Office names first storm of season as it issues warnings for strong winds and heavy rain

The first named storm of autumn is set to bring winds of 70mph and heavy rain to the UK, forecasters have said.

Storm Amy will batter the country on Friday and throughout Saturday, the Met Office has said. People are being advised to follow their local forecasts closely in the coming days due to the "uncertainty about the exact track Storm Amy will take".

The warning comes into force for northern Britain at 6pm on Friday and is in force until the end of Saturday. The Met Office said although gusts may reach 70mph, they could exceed 80mph on coasts and hills.

The warning area covers Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England. The Met Office warned of damage to buildings, possible power cuts and danger to life from large waves in coastal areas and flying debris elsewhere.

"Gusts of 50 to 60mph are likely for many areas and may reach 60 to 70mph in some places for a time," the agency said. "Exposed coasts and hills will see the highest gusts which could exceed 80mph.

"The strongest winds currently look more likely over parts of northern Scotland." Check the forecast for your area The winds are expected to ease for most areas on Saturday afternoon, but will still be "very strong" in some parts. The spells of heavy rain will be "most persistent" across western Scotland, forecasters added.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for rain that comes into force at 5pm today and runs until the end of Thursday. It warns persistent, heavy rain may lead to transport disruption and flooding in parts of western and southern Scotland.

"The rain will turn heavier for a time during Thursday afternoon and evening, before clearing most areas by or soon after midnight," said the Met Office."During the warning period, 30-50mm is expected widely with 60-80mm possible in parts of the North West and on high ground. "Coming on top of rain that has already fallen in recent days, this is expected to lead to a risk of landslides as well as localised flooding." Forecasters warned gusts of up to 55mph could accompany the rain in exposed areas.

Wet and windy conditions are then likely to spread to much of the UK from Friday and into Saturday due to the approach of tropical cyclones Humberto and Imelda - which were previously Atlantic hurricanes. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Tom Crabtree, said: "Although there is still some uncertainty about the exact track Storm Amy will take, the system will bring gale-force winds across northern and western regions.

"Heavy rainfall is also expected, particularly over western Scotland, where totals could exceed 30-50mm in six to nine hours, increasing the risk of localised flooding. "Forecasts and warnings will be updated as the situation becomes more clear, therefore it is important to keep an eye forecast for your area over the coming days.".