Storm Freya: Portsmouth set to be hit by heavy rain and 50mph gusts over weekend as sixth storm of winter batters city

While the weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny on the whole over the last seven days it will be taking a different turn over the weekend. 

The Met Office has announced that sixth named storm of the winter - Storm Freya – is set to hit the UK on Sunday. 

Yellow weather warnings for high winds for parts of the country, however Portsmouth and the Solent are not currently included in the warning. 

The Met Office is forecasting heavy rain for our region on Sunday with gusts of wind of up to 48mph forecast to batter Portsmouth and 49mph gales are predicted for Havant. 

While 50mph gusts will hit between 6pm and 9pm on Sunday night in Gosport and Fareham 

Storm Freya will continue to blow through overnight into Monday with heavy rain set to put a damper on the start to the week and gusts of 42mph to hit in the early hours. 

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: ‘What we have got is a storm developing quite rapidly to the south and west of the UK.

‘It will be developing as it goes across the UK and it will be bringing very strong winds.’

He added that gusts of 55 to 65mph are ‘likely quite widely within the warning area and there is the potential for isolated gusts to reach 70 and 80mph.'

Wind speeds will be highest in Devon, Cornwall, Wales and north-west England, Mr Madge said.

He added: ‘On Sunday there will be some strong winds developing by midday for parts of the South West.’

Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible, and some roads and bridges may have to close.

The storm may also bring snow to areas more than 200 to 300-metres above sea level but temperatures will be ‘probably just above average for the time of year’, according to Mr Madge.