Northern Ireland weather: Storm Darragh could bring gusts of winds of up to 80mph on the most exposed parts of Northern Ireland this weekend

An amber warning for wind has been issued for parts of the UK – including all counties of Northern Ireland – with the arrival of the fourth named storm of the season.

Storm Darragh is expected to bring 80mph winds and heavy rain late on Friday and into Saturday.

The warning for “potentially damaging” winds is in place for the west coast of the UK from South Ayrshire in Scotland down to Cornwall, as well as in Northern Ireland, on Saturday from 3am until 9pm.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind and rain on Thursday across parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England, with the warnings extending to cover the North East and south of England on Friday.

A yellow warning for wind remains in place for Sunday across England, parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

Met Office meteorologist Kathryn Chalk told the News Letter: "Mean wind speeds across Northern Ireland on Saturday will be in the order of 25-30 mph inland, but likely higher over the hills and exposed coasts where speeds could reach up to 40 possibly 50 mph, for example at Donaghadee when exposed to the north-westerly wind. The Amber warning also covers for gusts up to 80 mph over the most exposed spots.

"Much of Northern Ireland will be affected, with a swathe of very strong winds running down the Irish Sea so eastern coasts could see the strongest winds through Saturday morning before easing into the afternoon.

"Our advice would be to keep up to date with the latest forecast and any warnings. Take care if along coasts due to large waves but also beach material or flying debris that could lead to injuries. If you are driving in strong winds, drive slowly to minimise the impacts of wind gusts and be cautious when overtaking high sided vehicles."

The Met Office warned that flying debris could cause injury or danger to life while buildings may be damaged, such as tiles blown from roofs.

It said power cuts and large waves should be expected, and some roads and bridges may be closed, with falling trees posing an additional hazard.