Storm Bronagh set to batter parts of the UK and Ireland

The second named storm of the season is set to batter parts of the UK and Ireland, a day after two people were killed during Storm Ali.

The Met Office and Met Eireann have named Thursday’s intense low pressure system Storm Bronagh and warned of the possibility of a danger to life and damage to buildings.

The weather warnings come a day after a Swiss holidaymaker was killed when the caravan she was in was blown down a rocky incline in County Galway, while a worker in a forest park in County Armagh died after he was hit by a tree.

Storm Bronagh is expected to develop across parts of Wales and south-west England on Thursday evening, before spreading further eastwards across England.

Heavy rain is expected throughout Thursday, with a yellow weather warning in place for rain in Wales and parts of north-west England and a yellow wind warning in place for much of England and parts of Wales later in the day.

The storm is expected to bring gale force winds through the evening and overnight into Friday, with wind gusts of 45-50mph predicted around exposed coasts and at some spots inland, as well as the possibility of some gusts of up to 65mph.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Although the strongest winds are expected to occur as Storm Bronagh moves offshore into the North Sea, there is a low likelihood of damaging winds in places through this evening and overnight with possible impacts to people travelling in England and Wales.

“However, the strongest winds are most likely along the north east coast of England in the early hours of the morning.”

Highways England’s head of road safety Richard Leonard said: “We’re encouraging drivers to check the latest weather and travel conditions before setting off on journeys. If you do intend to travel, then plan your journey and take extra care, allowing more time for your journey.

“In high winds, there’s a particular risk to lorries, caravans and motorbikes so we’d advise drivers of these vehicles to slow down. Drivers of other vehicles should be aware of sudden gusts of wind which can affect handling and braking, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes plenty of space.”

On Wednesday, a wind gust of 91mph was recorded in County Down, Northern Ireland, the strongest in September in Northern Ireland since records began.

In County Galway, a woman, named locally as Elvira Ferraii and said to have been aged in her 50s, died when the caravan she was staying in at the remote beauty spot in Clifden ecoBeach Camping and Caravan Park blew off the cliff and smashed on to the beach below.

A falling tree in County Armagh killed Matthew Campbell, from Belfast. Mr Campbell, who was aged in his 20s and engaged to be married, was working for a construction company on behalf of public utility Northern Ireland Water in Slieve Gullion Forest Park. One of his colleagues was seriously injured in the incident.

In Cheshire, a woman was seriously injured after a tree fell onto her car, and in the Highlands a man had to be rescued after becoming trapped under a digger in a river in the village of Rogart.

The unsettled weather is set to continue with another weather system forecast to bring more wind and rain across parts of the UK on Sunday and into Monday.