Storm Ashley latest: ‘Danger to life’ warning as UK to be battered by 80mph winds this weekend

Catherine Evans, SEPA’s Flood Duty Manager, said: “Scotland is braced for impacts from Storm Ashley over this weekend. There’s a risk of coastal flooding across much of the country due to already high water levels combined with strong winds.

“While the risk is greatest around high tide times, our message is clear:  take extra care if you are near the coast at any point and stay well clear of waves and water.  Be careful when travelling around exposed coastal areas and don’t walk or drive through flood water as there may be hidden hazards.

“Flood Alerts and Warnings are in place so stay up to date though our website. We will continue to work with the Met Office to monitor the situation 24/7 and review regional Flood Alerts and local Flood Warnings as required.

“We advise people to sign up to Floodline to receive free updates for where they live, or travel through, directly to their phone. People can also check our flood updates for all the latest information and view the three-day Scottish Flood Forecast to see what conditions are expected further ahead.”

The Great South Run has been cancelled due to the high winds and rain expected from Storm Ashley on Sunday.

Great Run, which organises the annual 10-mile race in Portsmouth, said it has been monitoring weather conditions and they “haven’t improved to a point where we can safely stage Sunday’s event”.

In a statement, Great Run said: “The forecasted winds and gusts compromise our event infrastructure including our medical facilities at the finish and around the course.

“This combined with high tide levels, potential debris, and the exposure along the seafront mean that we can’t guarantee the safe delivery of the event. Safety of our participants, staff and volunteers is our number one priority.

“We haven’t taken this decision lightly and have been liaising closely with the Met Office, medical & safety teams, local authorities and key stakeholders throughout the week to make the best informed decision.

“We know how disappointing this is and we hope you can understand why this decision has been made. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Participants will be contacted by email about how they can either claim a refund or defer their entry to next year.

The Environment Agency currently has more than 50 flood warnings in place, with flooding expected in these areas. There are a further 145 possible flood alerts.

The majority of the warnings and alerts are for the western half of the UK with the bulk of the warnings between Birmingham and Bristol.

Meteorologists have said Storm Ashley will see a rapid drop of pressure as it moves in from the Atlantic on Saturday night – a phenomenon called a "weather bomb".

A 'weather bomb' is an unofficial term for a low pressure system whose central pressure falls 24 millibars in 24 hours in a process known as explosive cyclogenesis, according to the Met Office.

Rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream high up in the atmosphere can remove air from the column, reducing its weight so causing pressure to fall at sea level.

This in turn sucks in air which converges from surrounding regions resulting in faster and faster rotation of the circulation.

That will result in high winds, which coincide with high spring tides - bringing a risk of large waves and coastal overtopping.

Transport Scotland has warned of likely disruptions to public transport, including the country’s ferry network.

A statement said: “A windy period is expected across the whole of the UK on Sunday and into Monday, but across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, north-west England and north-west Wales there is an increased chance of some disruption.

“These strong winds in conjunction with high spring tides may cause some disruption.”

Families travelling during the October school holidays have been advised to check for cancellations.