A yellow weather warning has been issued for Friday with Storm Éowyn expected to bring very strong winds and disruption.

The Met Office says some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen and power cuts are likely to occur.

The warning runs from midnight to midnight on Friday and says: "Storm Éowyn is expected to pass close to or across the northwest of the UK on Friday before clearing to the northeast on Saturday.

"Whilst there is some uncertainty in the track of Éowyn, a spell of very strong winds is likely, initially southeasterly before turning westerly, with peak gusts of 50-60 mph inland, 60-70mph around some coasts and hills, and perhaps up to 80 mph in exposed parts of western Scotland.

"The wind strength will gradually ease across southern areas later on Friday."

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: “Storm Éowyn will bring a period of very unsettled, potentially disruptive, weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday.

“The strongest gusts are likely to be felt across parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, northwestern Wales and western Scotland, where exposed sites could get gusts in excess of 80mph, which has the potential to cause impacts for those in these areas. There will also be some heavy rain, bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.

“The initial warning for Storm Éowyn has been issued several days in advance, so it’s important to stay up to date with the forecast as further details emerge in the coming days.”

RAC Breakdown spokesperson Alice Simpson said: “The wet and windy weather brought about by Storm Éowyn will make driving much more of a challenge towards the end of this week, especially for those in the west of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Strong winds mean there’s a higher likelihood of fallen branches and trees on rural routes between motorways and A-roads, which can obstruct journeys and puncture tyres if not carefully avoided.

“Drivers also need to be well aware of the buffeting effect of sudden gusts, especially along coastlines and exposed areas where the worst weather is expected. High-sided vehicles are most at risk of being blown off course, but cars can also be affected as they pass lorries on the motorway and are then hit by the wind on the other side. It’s best to keep speeds low and have a firm grip on the wheel to avoid being caught off-guard, especially in areas where heavy rain will affect visibility.”

The change in conditions is being driven by the weather over the other side of the Atlantic. A large, very cold pool of air over parts of North America is generating a stark contrast in temperatures across the continent, acting to strengthen the jet stream resulting in deeper low pressure systems being able to develop, this jet oriented such that these lows will then be steered across the Atlantic towards the UK.

As Storm Éowyn weakens and clears to the northeast of the UK, Saturday will remain a breezy day everywhere with strong winds persisting in the north. It will be drier for many, with showers replacing persistent heavy rain.

However, later Sunday, another area of low pressure could bring further wet and very windy weather across the UK.