Britain is set to be drenched by torrential rain which could lead to flash flooding across the nation, as winds of up to 60mph are forecast with the first named storm of the season arriving in hours.

The Met Office has warned of an unsettled period on the horizon for many from today (October 18) with Met Eireann, the Irish Met Office, officially naming it as Storm Ashley.

BBC weather is also listing a whopping 189 places where rivers threaten to burst their banks as water levels dramatically rise. The Environment Agency has placed 146 flood alerts in England, 25 in Scotland and 18 in Wales.

Met Office chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said: “A period of strong south to southeasterly winds is likely across western Scotland on Friday morning into the early afternoon, before easing and turning southwesterly through the afternoon.

“Wind gusts of 45-55mph are possible fairly widely for a time, and perhaps in excess of 60mph in more exposed locations. Given the wind direction and high spring tides, some disruption is possible.”

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