The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for south-west England from early afternoon as strong winds and heavy rain will lash many parts of the country.
Residents in a Cornwall village were warned to stay indoors and batten down the hatches as 70mph storms began sweeping across Britain.
Government forecasters issued a red shipping warning for almost all coastal waters, expecting sea gales up to force 10 – which the Met Office’s wind speed charts showed whip up 12-metre waves at sea.
The deluges are due to the ‘European monsoon’ weather phenomenon – named after its more powerful Indian monsoon counterpart, independent forecasting firm The Weather Outlook said.
Forecaster Brian Gaze of The Weather Outlook said: “It’s a very poor early summer outlook, further heavy showers or longer spells of rain for all parts.
“This is the ‘European Monsoon,’ a June weather pattern when westerly winds bringing cloud and rain return with a vengeance after easing during late spring.
“There are only very tentative signs these winds will begin to lose their grip during the second half of the month.”
The gales and driving rain brought power cables crashing to the ground in showers of sparks in the Bell Lane area of Lanner, near Redruth.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and say the 70mph gales are likely to bring down trees because they are in full leaf so their boughs are extra-heavy.
Temperatures are also expected to remain low for this time of year.
“Strong winds, possibly up to gale force, are expected from the afternoon onwards in south-west England particularly Devon and Cornwall,” forecaster Mark Seltzer from the Met Office.
“On Friday the warning is extended to include south Wales and many parts of southern England as well as the South West, again with a risk of gales.
“The public should be careful when they are outside, and there is a danger of damage to trees.
“Winds should gradually ease from the South West during the day.”
Brendan Jones, with the private forecaster MeteoGroup, said: “There are going to be potentially disruptive winds.
This sort of Atlantic storm is more normally seen in the autumn and winter months.
“Winds will increase this afternoon in Devon and Cornwall and there could be gusts of 60 to 65mph, or even 70mph on exposed coasts and headlands.
“Through tonight and Friday, the centre of the storm will move slowly north east, touching areas as far away at north Wales and exiting Britain as far north as Northumberland.
“Tomorrow, south Wales could have gusts of 60mph and many areas of England which are well inland could see gusts exceeding 50mph. There will also be a lot of rain in the next 48 hours.”
Forecasters warned the wintry conditions are expected until the end of the month, threatening major events including Wimbledon.
The “very unsettled weather” is set to bring further misery for thousands of families, currently on holiday during the midterm break, with many taking an extended break due to the four-day bank holiday to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
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