Storm Ciara to hit region on Sunday
Cumbria and the south of Scotland is in for a winter walloping this weekend as Storm Ciara hits the country.
Bitter temperatures and blue skies will start to change with strong winds on Saturday ahead of the storm's arrival on Sunday.
Scotland is expected to see the strongest winds, with gusts of up to 80mph predicted.
The weather warning will come into place at 12pm on Saturday lasting until midnight. A yellow warning for heavy rain has also been issued for Sunday from midnight until 9pm.
Along the coast of Cumbria and Scotland, big waves could affect ferry crossings and strong winds could mean delays to trains and flights.
Network Rail say trains on the West Coast Mainline will be delayed as they will be enforcing a 50mph speed limit.
Jake Kelly, Network Rail’s strategic operations and passenger director for the North West & Central region, said: “With the adverse weather forecast this weekend, our plans and decisions are prioritising the safety of passengers and railway staff.
“Our teams have been planning for the likelihood that debris will be blown onto tracks and overhead electric wires. We have extra people on the ground at various locations across the region to deal with any disruption.
"I understand 50mph speed limits on Sunday may be frustrating for some people, but they are a necessary safety precaution when such wild weather is expected."
Passengers are advised to check their website before travelling.
Engineers at Electricity North West are on standby for potential power cuts across the region.
Sam Loukes, Incident Manager at Electricity North West, said: “We monitor the weather daily and while we always have teams on standby 24/7, we can ramp this up where particularly bad weather is forecast.
“Our plans are well practiced and we will have local teams available to respond quickly on the ground, as well as teams in our control room to monitor and respond to any situation to keep power flowing across the region.
"Our customer team will also be available and we’ll be sending out regular updates via our social media channels.
“If anybody does see any damage to overhead lines or electricity equipment, we urge them to stay away and report it to us immediately by calling 105.”
Rugby fans should expect very blustery conditions for the Six Nations when Scotland play England at Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon. Winds are expected to top 55mph.