Double weather warnings for Northamptonshire as Dudley and Eunice line-up for three-day battering with 80mph gusts

Weather experts are upgrading their warnings as Northamptonshire braces for a three-day buffeting from two named storms.

An existing yellow alert for Storm Dudley now includes the north of the county with very strong winds bringing a risk of disruption late on Wednesday and into the small hours of Thursday.

But that will be just a preview for the main event, Storm Eunice, with gusts of 80mph accompanied by heavy rain and the possibility of snow on Friday.

Local forecasters @NNWeather said: "A significant weather event is looking likely.

"Models show winds gusting around 50mph later on Wednesday overnight into Thursday associated with Storm Dudley but then we see gusts increase significantly on Friday as Storm Eunice affects the county.

"The strongest winds are likely to be during the morning towards the middle of the day when people could be outside or travelling.

"A rare red weather warning is a possibility if gusts as high as 80mph or so inland are forecast on Friday."

Storm Eunice is likely to track across central areas of the UK on Friday, although experts warn exact predictions will only be possible as the storm approaches.

Travellers are already being warned to prepare for disruption to journeys by road, train and plane.

National Highways head of road safety Jeremy Phillips said: “We’re encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys and consider if their journey is necessary and can be delayed until conditions improve.

"If you do intend to travel, then plan your journey and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down.

“Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, and motorbikes plenty of space."