Weather warning issued for Northumberland as high winds are expected to batter North East

The forecasters expect the North East to experience yet more gusts winds from around noon on Saturday, February 29, and into Sunday, March 1, at noon.

The area affected, which includes the southern part of the county, including the coast at Blyth and north to Rothbury, then moving inland west, could see winds of up to 39mph on Saturday at noon and as strong as 48mph on Sunday at 6am.

The worst affected areas will experience winds of up to 60mph.

Before the time of the warning begins, the winds already reach around 30mph.

At noon on Saturday, it is likely to be sunny with cloud cover, when the winds will reach just under 40mph before easing off a little, with light snow expected at around 6pm.

By 9pm there will be rain and the temperature will be around 3C, but it will feel like it is -2C.

That will remain the case into Sunday, when the forecast is for sleet and then heavy rain and sleet during the early hours, with light rain predicted until around 7am, when the winds will be strongest.

Sunday will remain cloudy, with a 20% chance of rain, with the gusts expected to continue at a rate of 40mph.

It is expected to be around 5C but it will feel as cold as 0C.

The Met Office has said: “A spell of strong winds is expected to move North East across a large swathe of the UK through Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.”

“Some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are likely.

“Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges likely.

“It’s likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities affected by spray and/or large waves.”

Further showers are predicted for Monday and it will be less windy, although there are still predicted speeds of up to 29mph as the new week begins.