A severe weather warning has been issued for Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and other parts of the eastern region this morning as Storm Barney blusters across the UK.

The Met Office says that west to southwesterly gales are likely to sweep eastwards across the southern half of Great Britain later on today.

Wind speeds of up to 60mph are forecast, but we’re not expected to be the worst hit – speeds of around 80mph are predicted for some parts of the west coast of Wales.

The Met Office is warning people to take care of the disruption this might cause to travel and that gusts this strong could bring down trees or weakened structures.

“A deepening area of low pressure will track east across southern Ireland and then central parts of the UK during Tuesday afternoon and evening, with a swathe of very strong winds developing on the southern flank of the low,” was the chief forecaster’s assessment.

Barney is the second storm to be officially named by the Met Office and Met Éireann, after Storm Abigail last week.