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Weather warnings for Storm Benjamin have come into force as parts of the UK are hit by heavy downpours and strong winds. The Met Office has issued four yellow weather warnings over possible disruption on Thursday from Storm Benjamin, as named by Meteo France. The conditions may lead to flooding, power cuts and travel disruption, the UK forecaster warned, with the storm expected to move from the English Channel to the North Sea during Thursday. It added that damage to buildings was possible with a small chance of injuries and danger to life being caused by large waves and beach material thrown on to seafronts and coastal roads. A yellow warning for rain covering most of southern England, the East Midlands, parts of Wales and Yorkshire will be in place from midnight until 6pm, with 20-30mm of rain expected quite widely and some places likely seeing 30-50mm. A further yellow warning for rain for most of East Anglia and Lincolnshire will be in place from midnight until 9pm, with a yellow warning for wind also in place for those areas and much of south-east England from 3am to midnight. The Met Office said gusts of 50-60mph are “probable quite widely” in the warning area, with 65-70mph “possible near coasts”. The forecaster added: “There is a smaller chance, should Storm Benjamin be at the stronger end of expectations, that wind gusts in excess of 70mph could develop for a time very locally, this most likely late morning and into the afternoon.” There is also an additional yellow wind warning for Cornwall, Devon and the west coast of Wales from 6am until 3pm – with gusts of up to 45mph expected widely within this area. The wet and windy conditions have not yet earned the storm an official name from the Met Office. Chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks said: “It is worth noting that there is a greater than usual uncertainty surrounding the track and intensity of this low-pressure system. The public should stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings as the situation evolves, with adjustments to the forecasts likely at short notice.”
