Northamptonshire is braced for Storm Barra to batter the county on Tuesday (December 7).
Gusts up to 70mph have already been recorded as the storm hit the Irish coast earlier today.
Weather experts say the storm will lose some of its strength before it moves into Northamptonshire but the county could still see damaging gusts of up to 50mph, prompting a yellow Met Office warning from 9am until midnight.
Most Popular
-
1
Firefighters in attendance at another field fire spread across 30 acres in Northamptonshire
-
2
VIDEO: £15 million 'flagship' mountain bike park in Northampton hailed as 'game-changing' - rough opening date revealed
-
3
Mother of Northampton university student criticises national estate agent and landlord over £300 deposit dispute
-
4
WATCH: Fire takes hold of field in Northampton as temperatures increase
-
5
Northampton dad criticises Travelodge over 'mouse infestation' during hotel stay before family trip to Disneyland Paris
Forecasters say the worst of the rain is likely from 11am in the south and west of the county and between 2pm and 6pm in the north and east, coinciding with afternoon school runs and heading into the evening rush hour.
Local forecaster Jamie Dunlop, from @NNweather, warned ice is the big problem early on in Northamptonshire, before the storm arrives later.
He said: "Tuesday will start frosty, with roads especially treacherous in rural areas, before heavy rain starts falling from just before 2pm.
"Gusts are expected to start blowing over 30mph by noon and peak at anything up to 50mph at around 4pm.
"Temperatures will hover around 6°C but will feel like freezing due to the wind chill."
Drivers are being warned to prepare for tough conditions on the road in the afternoon with the possibility of flooding and trees blowing down.
Western Power Distribution engineers are also on stand-by to deal with any fallen power lines.
Today's Winter Light Trail festive display at Northampton's Delapre Abbey has been called off for safety reasons due to the Met Office warning.