Met Office is warning of possible damage to homes, power cuts and disruption to travel by air, road, rail and ferry

Widespread flood risks threaten to multiply tonight before 'severe gales' hit the country over the coming days, forecasters say.

The Met Office has issued several weather warnings for wind, as gusts of up to 80mph and heavy rain are forecast to batter UK on Sunday.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning ahead of Storm Ashley for the north-west of Scotland on Sunday, as well as a yellow warning for the entirety of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and parts of north-west England and Wales. The amber warning will be in force from 9am on Sunday until midnight, and the yellow between 3am and midnight.

Meteorologists say Storm Ashley, the first named storm of the season, will see a rapid drop of pressure as it moves in from the Atlantic on Saturday night - a phenomenon called a "weather bomb". BBC Scotland's Gillian Smart has the weather forecast.

Storm Ashley is set to come barrelling across to Britain, with the Met Office issuing a danger to life warning for some regions.

A MAP shows the path of Storm Ashley – with Met Office upgrading a warning to amber and ‘very severe gale force winds’ forecast. The storm will buffet Scotland, Northern Ireland,

Power cuts, large waves and travel disruption are expected in Cumbria as parts of the UK are braced for Storm Ashley. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Sunday for wind across Cumbria and an amber amber high wind warning for some western areas in Scotland.

Somerset has been hit with 16 flood alerts and two flood warnings ahead of the arrival of Storm Ashley this weekend. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind tomorrow, Sunday, October 20,