Weather journalist warns Brits ‘you are in for a bumpy ride’ as EXPLOSIVE winds BATTER the UK - ‘The south will feel it!’

Speaking about the storm to GB News, Rao said: "A lot of the country is in for a very bumpy ride today as Ashley blows in from the Atlantic. The amber warning is in northwest Scotland for wind gusts of up to 80mph.

"That is really what this danger to life warning is about, particularly around exposed regions and around the coast. But really, the whole of the country is going to have a very wet and windy day today.

"The wind warning is the particular concern, and that is what triggers the storm names and the warnings. And it's down the west coast of the UK where these winds are going to be strongest.

"That is up to, 80 miles per hour gusts at 50 to 70 miles per hour. Further inland, there is also a also a rain warning in place across the southwest.

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"So yes, a very, very wet and windy day for the first storm of the season. It's come quite late in the season. The storm season starts in September. We're now in the middle of October, but Ashley is going to arrive and sort of make up for lost time.

"In the run-up to this storm, arriving meteorologists and experts were talking about something called explosive cyclone genesis.

"To put it into layman's terms in the media, we often call this a weather bomb, which means a very, very rapid and intense strengthening of this storm."

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the southwest of England and South Wales until midday on Sunday, with potential travel disruption and flooding.

Gale force winds are expected to continue through Monday morning, potentially impacting commuters with fallen debris and trees.

The Environment Agency listed 41 active flood warnings and 132 flood alerts on Sunday morning, including areas along the River Severn, south Cornwall coast, and Wye Estuary.

In Southampton, heavy rain battered the city on Sunday morning.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for the southwest of England, with potential travel disruption and flooding.

Winds are expected to ease on Monday, with rain moving into the South East. The north is likely to remain blustery for much of the week.

Natural Resources Wales reported three flood warnings and 13 flood alerts, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued 16 flood warnings and 17 alerts.