Stock up on water and food and keep a phone charger nearby, Britons told ahead of Storm Bert

Britons have been warned to stock up on essential supplies ahead of Storm Bert this weekend, as the UK braces for 70mph winds and heavy rain.

There are eight Met Office weather warnings – including a severe amber one – in place across the UK on Saturday and Sunday as the second named storm of the season begins to arrive on Friday night.

Many have been warned that they should expect power cuts and for rural communities to be cut off.

Advice reportedly sent to British Gas customers includes a recommendation that people stockpile three days’ worth of food and water in case the weather disrupts travel and power.

It also urged people to keep a phone charger, torch and batteries nearby.

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“It’s a good habit to have at least three days’ worth of food and essentials stored in an easy-to-reach part of your home. That’s things like medicines, drinking water, non-perishable food and snacks and extra blankets,” it warned.

“And before going on any journeys, make sure you’ve got some food, water, a torch, your phone and charger, plus a blanket or two with you.”

The majority of the UK will be facing at least one weather warning in the days to come, with Scotland and northern England expected to be the worst affected.

An amber alert for heavy snow and ice will be in force between 7am and 5pm on Saturday in an area north of Scotland’s central belt, where 10-20cm is likely on ground above 200 metres and potentially as much as 20-40cm on hills above 400 metres.

There is also up to 150mm of rain expected to fall in some areas.

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Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said Storm Bert was a “multi-hazard event”.

“We’re looking at strong winds, some high snowfall accumulation, heavy rain, all in various different parts of the UK,” he said. “So it’s quite a complex weather set-up for the weekend. Generally speaking, it’s a very unsettled weekend of weather ahead.”

He advised the public to keep an eye on the weather in their areas.

“Because of the different nature of the weather across the UK, people really need to have an idea of what the forecast is for them specifically.

“Further south it’s wind and rain, further north it’s snow then rain and wind. So it really depends on where you are in the UK. Keep on top of the forecast for your area, and prepare as necessary.

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“Obviously, with snow and ice there could be some pretty tricky conditions, especially in the morning (on Saturday), so if you are going to leave the house pay attention to what’s going on in your area with the local authorities.”

Avanti West Coast advised customers not to travel north of Preston – including Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh – on Saturday because of the expected disruption from Storm Bert.

“If you were due to travel on this route, your existing ticket can now be used anytime from Friday November 22 to the end of service on Monday November 25,” the train company said.

It warned there was still a risk of disruption elsewhere in the UK and said if trains were delayed or cancelled because of the storm and customers abandoned their journeys as a result, they could claim a fee-free refund from where they bought their tickets.