Met Office issues weather warning as 60mph gusts just like 2020's Storm Ciara head for Northamptonshire this week

Met Office experts say Northamptonshire faces a battering from wind and rain with a storm heading our way this week.

Recent spells of settled weather are set to come to a dramatic end with gusts of up to 60mph possible across the county — similar to winds seen when Storm Ciara caused widespread damage 13 months ago.

A yellow warning has been issued covering an 18-hour period from 9pm on Wednesday to 3pm Thursday afternoon for high winds and heavy, blustery showers.

Local weather watchers @NNweather tweeted on Monday: "There is the potential for stormy conditions on Wednesday night and carrying on into Thursday.

"Gusts of between 50mph and 60mph are likely. Some charts are showing a risk of even stronger gusts but it's still too far away to put exact details on the expected speeds."

Meteorolgists expect an Atlantic weather system will bring a period of strong winds and Wednesday's weather warning covers the whole of England and Wales.

Met Office chief meteorologist, Andy Page, said: “After the recent settled spell the weather will turn more unsettled this week with strong winds and rain.

"Yellow weather warnings for wind are in force. The second of two areas of low pressure is likely to bring the most widespread strong winds, with gusts of 55mph widely across England and Wales later on Wednesday and Thursday, with gusts up to 70mph in exposed western locations.”

Blustery showers with spells of sunshine will continue through the weekend but there are early signs that the weather will settle down again by the middle of next week.

Storm Ciara left behind a trail of destruction when it blew through the county on February 9, 2020.

Roads around Sol leisure complex in Northampton town centre and parts of Rushden Lakes were closed for weeks as a result of damage to buildings.