Sidmouth: Storm Ciarán set to bring strong winds, heavy rain

Update: A further amber warning for "very strong northwesterly winds" has been issued lasting from 3am to 11am on Thursday.

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Storm Ciarán is set to bring strong winds and heavy rain this week.

The Exeter-based Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings affecting much of southern England and Wales, including Sidmouth.

The yellow warning for rain takes effect from 6pm on Wednesday (1 November), and the warning for wind from 9pm. They will both last until 11.59pm on Thursday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Chris Almond said: "Winds associated with Storm Ciarán are likely to gust to 80mph along the south coast of England, with a small risk of somewhere exposed seeing 90mph, and winds could even gust up to 50 or 60 mph further inland.

"This deep low-pressure system will also bring heavy rain to much of the UK, but the heaviest rain is expected in southern and western areas with 20 to 25mm quite widely across the region but up to 40 to 60mm potentially over higher ground. 

"Heavy and persistent rain will fall onto already saturated ground bringing a risk of further impacts such as flooding in areas that are already struggling to clean up from the heavy rainfall we have seen over the last week or so."