ALERT: Stormy weather set to hit Dartmoor with yellow warnings in place

Yellow weather warnings for wind and rain have been issued by the Met Office for tomorrow (Thursday 23 October), with unsettled conditions expected to affect Dartmoor and much of the South West.

After a brief spell of sunshine early in the week, the weather is set to deteriorate as a low-pressure system moves in from the west on Wednesday evening. 

The Met Office says the system will bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of Devon, including the moor, creating difficult driving conditions and possible flooding in some areas.

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Dan Harris, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “Low pressure moving across the south of the UK on Thursday will bring both a spell of heavy rain and areas of strong winds. 

“The rain is expected to arrive from the southwest during Wednesday evening, before spreading northeast to many parts of England and Wales during Thursday, leading to difficult driving conditions and the risk of flooding in a few places.”

He added that winds are expected to be strongest in western and coastal areas.

“Significantly strong northwesterly winds will first begin to affect parts of the west with gusts of 45 to 55 mph, locally 65mph around coasts expected,” he said.

“It is worth noting that there is a greater than usual uncertainty surrounding the track and intensity of this low-pressure system, so the public should stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings as the situation evolves, with adjustments to the forecasts likely at short notice.”

The Met Office’s Senior Press Office also reminded the public that forecasts may be updated later in the week as conditions develop.

Away from the warning areas, Thursday is still expected to be a wet and windy day across much of England and Wales before sunny spells and blustery showers move in. 

Temperatures will remain near normal but will feel cooler in the northwesterly winds.

Conditions are likely to stay unsettled into the weekend, with showers and coastal gales forecast, before turning colder as an Arctic air mass moves south.