A WEATHER warning has been issued for the North-East ahead of the arrival of Storm Freya on Sunday.

The Met Office has issued a Yellow Warning for wind from tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon from 3pm to 6am on Monday morning.

Forecasters say Storm Freya will bring very strong winds, with some travel disruption and possible dangerous conditions late Sunday and into Monday.

The warning is also in place for south west and central England and Wales.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Jason Kelly, said: “Storm Freya undergoes rapid cyclogenesis late Saturday and early Sunday as it moves across the eastern Atlantic Ocean towards the British Isles, this means the area of low pressure will deepen quickly as it moves towards us. 

“This is a developing situation and the track of Freya’s strongest winds could change over the next few days, so we are advising people to keep an eye on the latest forecast and warnings from the Met Office.

“Where winds are strongest we can expect significant disruption to travel, with damage to buildings and trees likely. It’ll be especially dangerous near coastal areas due to the wind whipping up large waves.”

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 and consider if their journey is necessary and can be delayed until conditions improve.

"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.

"In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow signed diversion routes.”

Forecasters also predict the storm will be severe enough to risk injuries and danger to life from flying debris and large waves.

There could also be damage to buildings and trees, with travel disruption and power cuts possible.

The Met Office is warning people to be aware of possible hazards including tiles being blown from roofs, fallen branches, and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts and coastal roads.

Gusts between 55mph and 65mph can be expected, with wind speeds reaching up to 80mph in coastal areas.

The warning, issued on Friday, came on the same day the forecaster provisionally announced that last month set a new temperature record, with average maximum daily peaks of 10C.

This beat the previous record of 9.8C, set in 1998.

Despite the start of the month seeing snow and freezing temperatures, the Met Office also said that the average mean temperature for February was 6.0C - the second warmest on record.

Clear skies and colder nights prevented the total average from being beaten, but the mean minimum daily temperature was still "well above average", according to the forecaster.

With the high temperatures came plenty of sunshine, and last month has provisionally been named the second sunniest February on record for the whole of the UK.

But storm Freya's arrival will bring a much less spring-like start to March.

Saturday will be "unsettled", with wet and windy conditions will hit Northern Ireland by the afternoon and everywhere except the south east by the evening.

Sunday will see rain and gales, with the western parts of England and Wales most affected.

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.

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 55mph 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 coastal areas in Devon, Cornwall, Wales and north-west England, Mr Madge said.

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