Lancashire weather forecast as Met Office issues 4-day storm warning for Preston and Blackpool areas

Tomorrow and Friday

A yellow weather warning for strong and gusty winds will be in effect from 3pm tomorrow (Thursday) until 6am on Friday.

A further warning for heavy rain and wind in the region will follow from 3pm on Friday to 6am on Sunday.

The warning is in place for the whole of Lancashire, as well as Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, West Yorkshire and parts of Cumbria and North Wales.

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Westerly or northwesterly winds will increase across northern England during Thursday afternoon and evening.

Inland gusts of 40-50 mph are possible, with perhaps 60-70 mph along exposed coasts, especially through the North Channel and Irish Sea, causing some travel disruption.

Strong gusts will also be associated with heavy showers which move through the region at times.

Friday into the weekend

A deep low may cross England and Wales from Friday afternoon, clearing to the east Saturday night, say the Met Office.

The low may bring a period of strong winds to much of Lancashire and the North West region, with some heavy rain likely to the north and west of the low centre, and some hill snow in the north (above about 200 metres).

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Around 15-25 mm of rain may fall quite widely, more particularly across northern and western parts of England and Wales, with exposed higher ground in the north and west (particularly parts of Wales, which are at greatest risk of seeing flooding impacts) perhaps locally seeing closer to 50-70 mm.

Winds may quite widely gust to around 40-50 mph inland but locally could gust in excess of 60 mph, whilst around coasts, winds may gust to 60-70 mph, perhaps locally nearer 80 mph.

The wind and rain may cause disruption to travel, with difficult driving conditions likely.