Storm Debi batters Southport seafront. Video

Storm Debi has hit Southport this morning with a high tide and a part of a tree down on Victoria Way.

The Met Office has issued two amber wind warnings for parts of Northern Ireland and northwest England.

Storm Debi was named by Met Éireann – the Irish meteorological service – on Sunday morning. As the low pressure system makes progress across Ireland and into the UK a belt of strong and disruptive winds will bring impacts. Heavy rain will also be a feature of Storm Debi.

The two amber wind warnings for southeast Northern Ireland and northwest England are embedded within broader yellow warnings already in force across the whole of Northern Ireland, northern England and parts of Wales.

Matthew Lehnert is a Chief Meteorologist with the Met Office. He said: “Storm Debi has developed rapidly overnight and will bring impacts across parts of the UK today. Because of the particular risk of impacts to parts of County Armagh and County Down this morning and parts of northwest England through much of the day we have issued two amber wind warnings.”

Within the warning areas the strongest winds are expected to reach 75mph, or even 80mph, in exposed coastal locations today, while inland areas are expected to see gusts of 60-65mph.

Storm Debi will move into the North Sea during Monday evening.

Storm Debi has developed, in part, because of a very strong jet stream crossing the Atlantic. The core of the jet stream is currently located to the south of the UK. This strong jet stream is responsible for the very unsettled period of weather we are currently experiencing. Further areas of low pressure are forecast to develop and affect the UK during the coming week.